The Cardinal Connection

5th Grade Clapout!

The clapout today will be around 12:45. Parents are welcome to wait in the north parking lot for pictures! Please do not sign in, just report to the north doors. K-4 families...please make way for these families, your students will dismiss closer to 1:00, thank you!

Lost & Found...

is in the vestibule, grab it before it goes!!!!!

Farewell to…

Michelle Williams

Wishing you well as you pursue your retirement adventures!

Monica Parrish

Though we are not sure of your role, we know we will see more of you at Costello!

Morgan Bowerman – Long-Term Substitute

Jenny Kang - Student Teacher

Lindsey Smith – Student Teacher and Long-Term Substitute

Thank you all for being an important part of Costello! You will be missed!

End of year report cards posted in PowerSchools on 6-28-22

Field Day!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/uhaU2DSVqio

What an amazing way to end our year and our last full day of school! Mr. Myrick, THANK YOU for organizing this special afternoon of fun and bringing so many smiles to Costello. Parents volunteers, we could not have done this without you, many thanks for your help!

Summer Ideas...

Passion Projects, Community Resources, Reading, Writing, Math and more…

Don’t be bored, check out these ideas to keep your mind going over the summer!

https://padlet.com/lmcdonald29/myfgqbz1ch0mr57j

RESPONSIBILITY – INTEGRITY – PERSEVERANCE – RESPECT!!! Keep showing those Cardinal Traits over the summer, they work well at home too! Tag us #cardinaltraits to show your examples on Twitter @Costello_Tweets

First Day of School Tuesday, August 30

AM Only 9:09-12:59

2022-2023 TSD Calendar:

https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1647018734/troyk12mius/zg3i5pt0e0tvybosbevj/TSDCalendar2022-2023.pdf

Summer Details...

Does my child keep the TSD Ipad over the summer? Yes. Ipads are only returned if you are moving out of the district.

Moving, not returning to Costello in the fall? Please email jmartus@troy.k12mi.us

New neighbors? Please share this link https://www.troy.k12.mi.us/departments/enrollment for enrollment. Children who will be five before September 1, 2022, are eliblgle for kindergarten. Enrollment questions? Contact the Troy School District Enrollment at 248/823.4002. If you have a neighborhood communication please include the above link. Thank you!

Please Welcome...

Ms. Vanessa Suarez to our Costello Family! Ms. Suarez will be joining our 1st grade team in the fall!

PTO Updates...

Best wishes to all of our outgoing PTO parents. Thank you Debbie Ballios for your hours of service and leadership as the PTO President, Kristen Cermak - Publicity Chair and a whole lot more, Amy Miller - Green Schools, Auction Committee and all other volunteering you have taken on, Lauren & Dave Henderson for your years of Costello Fair Chairing, maintenance helper, baseball field groomer, etc! We will do our best to keep going without all of you!

Please join me in welcoming Jen Ford as our new PTO President and Angie Cheek as our new PTO Vice President. Happy to have Chris Tallman – Treasurer & Katie Monhout – Secretary, continuing their roles in the fall! These ladies have tons of fun organizing fun new ways to support our studnets and staff. They are always looking for more new faces to get involved. We are so grateful to have an active parent community, this is another reason why our school is so awesome! We love our Costello Parents!

THANK YOU all for your support and all that you have done to make this an AMAZING year!!!

HAPPY SUMMER!

June 3, 2022

In just 9 days the 21-22 school year will come to a close, we will celebrate with end of the year parties, field day, writing celebrations, buddy class visits, and more; we will honor our fifth graders as they end their elementary careers. As the year draws to a close we reflect on how much we have accomplished and the tremendous growth that our students have made both socially and academically. We are making these final days count and creating special memories. Thank you parents for your support this year and in helping with the fun end of the year events.

Costello Drive-In Movie Night!

What a hit! To all of our families that were able to make it to support this event, THANK YOU!! Huge shout out to to Ingrid Peeples for her enthusiasm and organization to make this event possible. She even arranged for perfect weather! Fun times for all!

Math Leaders...

Julia Alder, our district math coordinator, has been working closely with some of our second grade students as well as Ms. Kavulich and Ms. Atkinson. We recently hosted a learning visit for our board members and central office team. As you can see this work is highly engaging while providing students with conceptual understanding.

PTO Meeting

Don't miss our last PTO Meeting of the year on Monday, June 13. This will be an in person meeting at Costello at 7:00 PM. We will be discussing purchases for next year. We will also be recognizing our 5th grade PTO parent leaders who will be moving onto Larson Middle School.

Costello Twitter Highlights...

May 20, 2022

PTO Meeting...

Don't miss our last PTO Meeting of the year on Monday, June 13. This will be an in person meeting at Costello at 7:00 PM. We will be discussing purchases for next year. We will also be recognizing our 5th grade parents who will be moving onto Larson Middle School.

Welcome!

We are looking forward to opening a new section of fifth grade next year. Please meet our newest Cardinal, Ms. Tindall...

Congratulations to our Costello Art Show Winners...

5th Grade

Arielle Waling

Violette Dombrowski

Sarah Javed

Kang Li

Pratyush Inturi

Eleanor Cotta

Jack Gallagher

Natalie Ballard

4th Grade

Audrey Roenicke

Yousif Jerjis

Sophia Killingbeck

Alexander Smith

Jacqueline Pala

Allison Tieu

Vhaibhavi Ramkumar

Jocelyn Bartel

3rd Grade

Heidi Peeples

Rishik Palla

Penelope Riegling

Aubrey Vrable

2nd Grade

Skylar Steffens

1st Grade

Corinne Miller

Principal for a Day...

Abby Cermak and Jacob Gornick, this year's Principals for a Day, headed to Central Office recently to get their official badges. They are looking forward to visiting other schools, attending meetings, and going out to lunch (as all principals do)! Thank you to the Cermaks and Gornicks for your auction donations!

Cardinal Power!!!

Lots of Cardinal Power in May! Congratulations to these winners. Keep showing those Cardinal Traits.

Twitter Highlights...

In honor of Memorial Day - No School Monday, May 30

May 6, 2022

THANK YOU to all of the families who donated and participated in honoring our INCREDIBLE staff this week! Ice cream treats, lunch, snacks galore, cookies and popcorn, WOW! So much appreciation for all of the hard working staff at Costello. Thank you to Jen Ford and her committe for coordinating everything.

Safety Reminders...

Walkers and Talkers Area - Parents, please, for ALL children's safety we ask that you do not pull up in your vehicle to the blacktop area near the north playground. Students are not permitted to walk to the vehicles. This area is for families who walk or bike to pick up their children. This is not a pick up area for cars. Please use the Express Loop if you are in a vehicle.

Arrival - Please be sure to stay in your car during drop off. We had a near miss this week when someone opened the driver side door as another car was coming on the inside lane. Our wonderful volunteers, Mr. Dan and Mr. Nickerson will help your child out on the passenger side of the vehicle.

Thank you for putting safety first!

Cardinal Power Ticket Winners...

This week we celebrated our Cardinal Power winners in a variety of ways, Cardinal Power t-shirts, nail salon, lunch bunch, and pick your own spirit day! Keep showing those traits Cardinals! We are proud of you!

PTO Meeting - Monday, May 9th 7:00

We will be electing new officers on Monday. Stay tuned for more details. Our meeting will be in person at Costello. A Zoom link will also be sent if you are not able to join us in person.

Free & Reduced Lunch Forms

Starting in the fall of 2022 we will no longer be serving free lunches. Information for free and reduced lunch forms will be coming out in the weeks to come. Please be aware that you will need to complete these forms if you qualify for free and reduced lunch.

Wishing all of our Cardinal mom's a wonderful Mother's Day! Maybe your children will load the dishwasher for you, let you sleep in, help with laundry, take out the trash!! Whatever they do for you we hope you feel special and loved!

April 2022

Enjoy this visual summary of April, what a terrific month it has been!

Administrative Assistants' Week!

We loved celebrating Jenny & Jillian this week for Administrative Assistants' Week! You keep us all going!! Thank you for all that you do for students, staff and parents!

5th Grade Instrumental Music Performances...

The first face to face concerts in two years! It was awesome to see the students performing. What a talented group!

5th Grade Vocal Music Performance...

Celebrating Earth Day...

Save the Bees! The third graders had so much fun learning about bees and what they do for our planet, they realized there is way more to bees than just making honey!

The Costello Gaga Pit…

The Gaga Pit is complete! We are so thankful to the Miller Family. Scott and Bob, Evan and Corinne’s dad and grandfather worked over the weekend of April 16th to assemble the pit. Perfect timing considering the weather. The PTO, Jen Ford and the Miller family made this project happen. The Millers were able to get discounted wood too. What a great example of people coming together to do great things for our school.

Don't know how to play Gaga Ball? Check out this video.

Next Week is Staff Appreciation Week!

Looking forward to celebrating our outstanding Costello team! Thank you to all who have donated to help us honor our WORLD CLASS staff!

Fun Run Winners!!!!

On May 9th the long awaited Fun Run Celebration Event will take place! Congratuations to the following students who will be participating in this year's celebration. More details coming soon!

2021 Top Earners

K Olivia Whitemore

1st Lilyana Haddad

2nd Mariam Jaber

3rd Christian Greenwalt

4th Jocelyn Bartel

5th Abby Cermak

Raffle Winners 2021

K Jeremy Stetsyk

1st Vanessa Hong

2nd Griffin Oudsema

3rd Hannah Pasquinelli

4th Bhavit Potu

5th Noah LaPaugh

2019 Top Earners still at Costello

Emma Brozowski

Nawras Alkamano

Joey Bishay

John Oswald

Raffle Winners 2019

Heidi Peeples

Natalie Ballard

Aliyah Ford

Junior Chaperones

Cal & Mae Tennies

Chaperones

Mr. Tennies

Mrs. Peeples

Dr. DiPonio

Lindsey Maliepaard

Looking Ahead...

Wednesday, May 4th - Late Start at Costello

Monday, May 9th - PTO Meeting 7:00 - At Costello. Zoom link will also be sent out prior to the meeting.

Monday, May 30th - NO SCHOOL Memorial Day!

March is Reading Month is in Full Swing!

Mask Updates...

Thank you so much for reinforcing at home the importance of respecting others' decisions regarding masking. Students have been respectful with this adjustment and worked together to ensure inclusion for ALL.

Cardinal Power Tickets...

Soon you might hear, "I got a ticket today!" This is a terrific celebration for students! We want to build a sense of pride in students by affiming how EARNING a ticket makes them feel.

As adults give students tickets they are labeling the behavior. For example, in the picture below, the adult said, "You used your manners to respectfully ask for supplies." A first grader earned a ticket for persevering in his writing. You can help at home by asking..."What did you do to EARN your ticket?" We are shaping behavior by emphasizing what we want to see more of and asking how making smart choices makes the student feel.

Our goal is to build internal motivation...though we will use some external motivation such as prize drawings (sit in the teacher's chair, Cardinal pencil, sticker, etc). We want the emphasis to be on HOW students feel inside when you they a good job.

Confidence for Kids

Are there areas where you would like to see your child grow in confidence? Does your child seem to choose the "easier" path at times? Maybe it’s attempting a new skating jump, or reading the next level book. There's nothing wrong with visiting the easy trail, you just don't want them camping out there for too long.

As parents, coaches and teachers we want to find students zone of development. If it’s too hard or too easy the growth just doesn’t occur. So what can we do? Build resiliency!!

How to build resiliency…

More of this…

In order to build resiliency, instead of retreating from challenges, we want to encourage students, of ALL ages, to take on challenges and lean into the struggles. Celebrate doing hard stuff EVEN if the goal was not achieved.

Discussing what was learned from a failed attempt.

Asking, “How are you going to figure that out/solve it?”

Less of this:

Rescuing - this can squelch risk taking and promotes a lack of resiliency, resulting in low self-confidence.

Making (task) too easy by oversupporting,

Promoting perfection

Fixing the problem for the child

Build Independence, Build Confidence…

We want students to develop internal motivation. When students can say, “I did it myself!” they are proud of and feel good about themselves. We want them to experience this feeling often so that they can become positive risk-takers. You can encourage this by asking two simple questions…

ACTIONS THAT REALLY WORK....Identify an area in which you want to help your child grow. Ask 2 questions each time there is an attempt on this goal..

"Did you do that because you are working hard to ________?"

OR

"Because you didn’t give up?"

Often times students say “both”…what you want is for them to say “I did it because I worked hard” OR "I did it because I kept trying and didn't give up."

You are training their brain with positive self-talk. These statements will replace what they are internally thinking that may make them less confident.

(Ideas adapted from Jim Faye, Love and Logic)

Tuesday, March 9th Late Start - Bell Rings at 10:39 - Arrival begins at 10:33

The Costello Auction is almost here...hope you can join us for this fun evening! Flyers and details came home this week.

Log Off & Lace Up Is Back!

The TSD PE department is excited to be doing Log Off & Lace Up again. As a department we would like for kids, parents and staff to put down their devices and get some exercise. This year you can walk, run, bike, and/or hike! Registration opens tomorrow and the event will end on May 31.

Please help us by encouraging your students to sign up and set a good example by signing up yourself.

Don’t forget this is a free event for all!

This website has all the information you need.

www.Logoffandlaceup.weebly.com

This is the direct link to register for Log Off & Lace Up!

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=HFsE7ftO7kaKrQXH05cAyx-wfu1bOhRJvFYVDBTb7hJUNTRGTTIxSTNDM0FISUxONjFJTExHQ08wOS4u

Follow Costello on Twitter...

Please share your feedback in link below. Thank you!

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=HFsE7ftO7kaKrQXH05cAyxHs5mums2hLjiGGg_29Mx5UQklaN1VJNkRJNzhKVkJRNlhYRTBMSjNCTy4u

February 11, 2022

Thank you so much for all of the kind words and the outpouring of thoughtfulness this week. I am humbled by the kindness. It is our ENTIRE team that is to be celebrated for the terrific things that go on at Costello.

Congratulations!!!!

Mrs. Maliepaard, Mr. Rondot and Ms. Kavulich were nominated for the Troy School District Teacher of the Year Award! Congratulations to each of you for this recognition. We appreciate all that you do to inspire your students, connect with families and make learning fun! We are so proud of you!

Costello Fair...

We are so excited to bring back the Costello Fair. Details coming soon, mark your calendars for this fun family event!

Mask Update...

The Troy School District has consistently followed the Oakland County Health Department COVID-19 guidance. As public health experts, they have the expertise and access to the latest data to make decisions. Today, the OCHD announced that the school and daycare mask mandate will end on February 28.

You can see their complete statement here: https://www.oakgov.com/pages/news.aspx#/school-mask-requirement-in-oakland-county-will-end-feb-28

In accordance with the new guidance, masks will be strongly recommended but not required in Troy School District beginning February 28, 2022. All other safety and mitigation efforts will remain in place within the TSD.

January 28, 2022

Congratulations Costello on Earning the State School of Character Award!

https://troyk12mi-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/tdiponio_troy_k12_mi_us/EQhrA8xh30RLvZbtytoZg8YBoU7KEjtSeh778QHzjWZyDg?e=SXlcUA

January Nesting Lesson...

Take a peek at the lesson plan and video for our January Nesting lesson so that you can reinforce the Cardinal Traits at home. Not all classes have done this lesson yet.

https://troyk12mi-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/tdiponio_troy_k12_mi_us/EYBFBG4Lb6hPk71HHyS0j3sBqSxMVQepjaFxFvdBXkCp1A?e=eyzYcL

https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2Fcardinalnesting&data=04%7C01%7CEPyzik%40troy.k12.mi.us%7Cbd346aef555b48c0a92508d9e006a93d%7Ced045b1c4efb46ee8aad05c7d39700cb%7C1%7C0%7C637787141473573019%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=T3J8KNWDvOz7Mlc05c9bklXF2ubslzOs2jRpL4YYUyo%3D&reserved=0

Snow Fun!!!

Arrival Team!

Special THANK YOU to our arrival team! Frigid temperatures don't keep this team away! Thank you for welcoming our Cardinals each morning Mr. Dan, Mr. Nickerson, Dr. Reese, Ms. Watts, Mrs. Waak, Mr. Frank & our 5th Grade Safeties!

Cardinal Artists...

Beautiful artwork created by our Cardinals!

PTO Auction Save the Date

Reminder: No School on Monday, January 31st. Teachers & Staff will be participating in Professional Development.

January 14, 2022

At a meeting earlier today one of the topics was ensuring that students are HRE throughout the school day. HAPPY, RELAXED, and ENGAGED! Simple ideas, but good reminders of the kind of culture we try to create at Costello for all students and staff as well. May your three day weekend allow your family to be HRE!

Safety Protocols

During our Late Start this Wednesday staff reviewed safety protocols and talked through emergency scenarios. As a district we follow A.L.I.C.E. (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) in response to emergency situations. All of our Costello staff members have been trained on A.L.I.C.E protocols. We will be practicing scenarios with our students later this month so that we can all "Be Prepared, Not Scared." Prior to the drill the teachers will take students through a lesson on what to do to stay safe at school. To minimize anxiety we use age appropriate wording with students. We use words such as "dangerous situation" instead of active "active shooter". You can help prepare your students at home for these safety drills by emphasizing the importance of listening to the teacher/adult, "Do as your teacher says, do what your teacher does." Safety is our first priority we sincerely hope that we are never in a situation where we ever need to use these strategies. Thank you for your support.

Sensory

We are so fortunate to have sensory options for our students at Costello. Simple 5-minute sensory breaks can help students to reset and get ready for learning.

Classroom Highlights

Literary essays, mystery book clubs, dancing and creation stations! We love learning at Costello!

Martin Luther King Celebration

https://troyk12mi-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/cgodfrey_troy_k12_mi_us/EdxEptL1DxlEi_bRKKFJRxwB0vVfnej9yHTnFgpGhcAztQ?e=ZFqsoY

Please join us on Monday, January 17th for the virtual MLK Celebration. Click link for details. Reminder NO SCHOOL on Monday, January 17th.

Updated Covid Information

Please be sure to review Kerry Birmingham's update on the new guidance that we are following from Oakland County Health Department.

One Word

Many students and staff participated in choosing One Word to kick off and focus on throughout 2022 . Your family might enjoy doing this as well. Here's a link to the book.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyXqSqizwqU

December 16, 2021

WINTER WONDERLAND

We are looking forward to a fun and joyous day tomorrow at Costello. Thank you to all of the room parents for your time and coordination and to our parents who have donated time, money, etc. to contribute to our Winter Wonderland tomorrow. To our teachers and staff, thank you for creating fun experinces and special memories.

What? Costello Winter Wonderland Celebration (Think Fun Run set up winter style)

Holiday music

Holiday decorations

Hot chocolate

Snack

There may be other activities that evolve led by room parents **notice the times, short and sweet, weather needs to be considered**

Enjoy a festive time together, parents invited!

When? Friday, December 17th

Where? Costello bus loop

Room Parents: (will set up outside around the bus loop – parents will not be allowed in the building)

Will provide hot chocolate and snack (allergies to be considered). Thank you families for your donations!

Teachers will bring students outside at their designated times for hot chocolate and music.

***We love dogs, but this is a human only event, no dogs invited***

NESTING LESSON

I was able to sit in on the December Nesting lesson today with Mr. McKinney and Ms. Atkinson's Class. Here are some of the ideas that the classes discussed:

• What are some ways we show respect in our community? Charging our ipads, taking care of our materials, doing my safety duty (5th Grade), making my own breakfast
• What are ways we spread kindness to others in our community?

Students wrote heartfelt letters to show that they care about others. They came up with a list of people that they could write a letter to. Thank you for reinforcing these important ideas at home, it makes a difference!

HOLIDAY BREAK

Our holiday break begins on Friday, December 17 at the close of the day. Students return for a full day on Monday, January 3. We hope that all of our families take time to enjoy their holiday traditions and reconnect and re-energize. I have encouraged Costello teachers, office staff to unplug and truly be present with their friends and family members. Staff may turn on their “out of office” automated response and will begin to return emails on Monday January 3 when school resumes.

COVID

Please see the information from Kerry Birmingham

“Under OCHD guidelines, we do not report cases or contact trace over a long break, like our upcoming Holiday break, because there is no chance of exposure in our buildings. Beginning on Friday, December 17 at noon, we will stop reporting cases and contact tracing. If we are informed of a case after that time, we will ask the family involved to notify anyone they believe was directly exposed to their student, but we will not individually be contact tracing in our schools. The lab where the test was taken will report the case to the OCHD, who will contact trace with their own teams.

We are setting the 12pm deadline on Friday in order to ensure that our staff can spend the holiday break with their own families. Many times, we are notified about positive covid tests in the evening or on weekends--which we appreciate--but our team is spending much of their time off contact tracing and reporting cases. We want to ensure that they can truly get a break after school lets out on Friday, so we are turning over the reins on COVID reporting to the labs and the OCHD beginning on Friday at noon.”

We are looking forward to enjoying the last few hours with our students before the Holiday break! Stay tuned for pictures tomorrow!

December 6, 2021

Parent Communication (12-3-21)

https://troyk12mi-my.sharepoint.com/:w:/g/personal/tdiponio_troy_k12_mi_us/EeAPMrW9z35IszYXNePrWmIB6KayXCmd7YBcDQJ3rG5hsw?e=qaK8Lx

THANK YOU...

...for the tremendous support from our PTO and to all who contributed to our staff luncheon today. Thank you to Mr. & Mrs. Fox for the delicious Jet's Pizza and salad. Mr. & Mrs. Greaves, the signs were a big hit! It is so great being back at Costello today.

Holiday Joy

Help spread holiday joy next week by participating in a spirit week!

Costello Winter Wonderland

What? Costello Winter Wonderland Celebration (Think Fun Run set up winter style)

- Holiday music

- Hot chocolate & cookies (Allergies will be considered, ingredient lists will be sent soon)

There may be other activities that evolve led by room parents **notice the times are short…think simple & FUN!!!...weather needs to be considered**

Enjoy a festive time together, parents invited too!

Where? Costello Bus Loop

When? Friday, December 17th

Who? Costello School Community – Parents, students, staff

Room Parents: (tables will be set up for crockpots of hot chocolate (for Costello students). Tables will be outside around the bus loop – DETAILS TO FOLLOW

Reminder, parents will not be allowed in the building.

• Classroom parent representatives will work with classroom teachers on craft activities

Teachers will take students outside to their designated times for hot chocolate and music.

Mrs. Pyzik - Will be playing familiar holiday/winter music that has been collaboratively selected in class 😊

This event may be cancelled if the weather does not cooperate.

***We love dogs, but this is a human only event, no dogs invited***

November 19, 2021

We have so much to celebrate and be thankful for at Costello!

Teamwork...

First grade problem solvers... see the glove stuck up high on the wall? Next picture, classmates lining up to throw the football to retrieve the glove! Creative thinkers!

New Technology...

Teachers and students are VERY excited about the new technology in their classrooms. It makes such a huge difference; not only is the image crisp, but teachers and students can project their ipad image to the class monitor, increasing collaborative learning opportunities. Teachers and students got to participate in AppleClassroom professional development with our district Teaching & Learning Department. How did we manage without this??? This huge upgrade was funded by the last TSD bond. Thank you for supporting our schools!!

Survey Feedback...

Thank you for participating in the survey on Character Education. We are constantly striving to improve and your feedback helps us to grow.

Parent feedback that captures the overall responses from the Character Education Survey:

We are happy with the school in every aspect

Home activities or parent reminders of what the character trait is for the month would be helpful. (SEE OUR NESTING LESSON BELOW)

Teaching in various schools to subbing in Costello, I am truly blown away and in awe of this amazing environment that has been cultivated. I feel so lucky and honored that my children will attend this great place.

I agree there should be a standard at school, and I like this reminder that traits should be reinforced at home.

Please bring back the LINKS program (WE ARE WORKING ON THIS, STAY TUNED)

We love the Costello community! I feel that my children’s needs are acknowledged and met. So proud to be a part of this community!

We talk about values at home, but don't frame them as Cardinal Traits. Occasionally my child will speak up and say that something we are discussing is related to the Cardinal Traits.

98% of students report that their child(ren) feels safe at Costello.

Student Responses – What do you like best about Costello?

The teachers. Every year I have had a awesome teacher AND the teachers have had a GREAT personality!

Everyone is ready to accept others and can respect others.

Safety’s and instruments

It is super easy to make friends at Costello, and the teachers make class fun while we learn a lot at the same time.

the amazing teachers and how they want you to have mistakes so you can learn from them and they are so caring

The events like the fun run

The feeling you have a family at Costello

Cardinal Nesting...

Before December 3rd all of our Cardinals will have had the following lesson. Take a peek at this lesson (link below) and help reinforce the Cardinal Traits of Perseverance, Integrity, Respect, and Responsibility at home. Please don't spoil this lesson but check in with your child to see if they had their Cardinal Nesting. Shout out to Ms. Erff and Mrs. Harrison for their teamwork in putting this lesson together.

https://troyk12mi-my.sharepoint.com/:w:/g/personal/tdiponio_troy_k12_mi_us/EeG9n4du0llBvWWFR7HndMoBfJgUh0aHrmd7n7Mef_fm2A?e=7VoDXj

Michelle Borba - Educational Psychologist...

Author or Unselfie and Thrivers, Michelle Borba shares her insight on the essential skills children need in order to thrive and become reslient adults.

Of the following, which trait do you believe is most important for students? Self-Respect, Empathy, Integrity, Self-Control, Curiosity, Perseverance, and Optimism

Student Voice...

At dismissal time the other day I checked in with a student regarding an email from his parent. The student, looking a bit puzzled asked me, "Did my dad talk to you?...Ah, I told him not to do anything!!!" Of course this is just one scenario. As parents we are fixers, and we don't feel like we are being as helpful if we are not taking action. More often than not, our children just need to be heard.

A FEW BENEFITS OF ACTIVE LISTENING

1. Strengthens your relationship with your child
2. Helps them to communicate
3. Helps to develop social skills
4. Strengthens self-esteem
5. Supports academic growth

Being fully present and listening to your child without the need to fix situations is so important. Research shows that listening to your child makes it more likely that your child will listen to you. Developing focused listening time from a very young age will make open communication the norm. This will be so helpful as they become teenagers.

When listening to your child follow-up with a hug and a thank you! In this busy world it is hard to find time to connect with each other and it is even easier to forget to say thank you for these big, little things. Thank your child for talking to you, let your child know you are always available for them.

Independent Positive Mindset...

PROMOTE THIS: "I have what it takes to learn and solve most of the problems I face."

NOT THIS: "I can't learn to solve problems on my own."

Confidence and independence is built through communication. An important outcome of handing a problem back to the child is the way the child feels when they able to take care of a situation independently. Many times well-intended support (parent sending the teacher an email, calling the other parent, calling the coach) takes away a students' ability to build important problem solving skills. Coaching your child on ways to handle social situations and challenges empowers the child. "How are you going to respond to that?"

What parenting tips and tricks work for you? What questions or support do you need? Please add your feedback in the "Share your thoughts" button above. This could be a great interactive way for our community to grow together.

Temporary Discount on Broadband Internet Bills

The Emergency Broadband Benefit Program is a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program that provides a temporary discount on monthly broadband internet bills for qualifying low-income households. If your household is eligible, you can receive:

· Up to a $50/month discount on your broadband service and associated equipment rentals

· A one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer (with a co-payment of more than $10 but less than $50)

Only one monthly service discount and one device discount is allowed per household.

Details about the program, qualifications, and directions to apply can be found in the following link.

Apply at this link: https://www.fcc.gov/broadbandbenefit

https://troyk12mi-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/tdiponio_troy_k12_mi_us/Ed-HyG6m05lNvibKtJLyXTMBudvDAXKqu3PMS0MEo4P5cQ?e=zZKu8p

https://troyk12mi-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/tdiponio_troy_k12_mi_us/ETYhKYzQHwdKmwpaLhXMKS8BzCmCU1rZsaU-cRF6SwOcKg?e=wzHqyh

Beth Soggs, Director of Technology TSD

Staff Learning...

What happens during late starts? Staff is engaged in focused learning around our district mission to “ensure learning for all.” This learning then extends to the classroom through interactive lessons. We are committed to making sure every child gets exactly what is needed to thrive and develop to their academic and social potential. Our late start on December 1st will be focused on advancing the work of the Red Pillar.

Wishing you and your family a special Thanksgiving holiday together. I am so grateful for all of the people: Students, staff, and parents, for making Costello the special place that it is. Here are some ideas for your family to consider doing over the break.

Wednesday, November 24

"Serve Others Before Yourself" - Consider volunteering through a local church or organization to help give back during this season.

https://www.yelp.com/search?cflt=nonprofit&find_loc=Troy%2C+MI

Thursday, November 25 - Happy Thanksgiving!

Before coming to the table make a list of things you are grateful for and then share them with your family. Challenge: It can't be STUFF!!!

Friday, November 26

Create something! Paint a picture, try a new recipe, make a new game.

Saturday, November 27

ORGANIZE - Who doesn't love the feeling of creating an organized space? Throw things out, donate, create space!

Sunday, November 28

Get cozy, cuddle up with a stack of books or one good book. Read from start to finish!

A time for reflection and setting a goal for the week!

Monday, November 29

Welcome Back to School!

Wednesday, December 1

Delayed Start - 10:39

Friday, December 3

No School - Teacher Workday

December 6-10 - Scholastic Book Fair

See communication from Mrs. Homrich

Tuesday, December 14

Report Cards available in PowerSchools

Winter Break - December 20 - December 31

January 3

School Resumes

October 29, 2021

We started the day with Spiderman and Cruella DeVil delivering the morning announcements and then kicked off the parade!

"This is the best Halloween party I ever had."- Nathan - 3rd grader

"We got to do coloring, crafts, we even painted rocks, my favorite thing was getting to wear costumes ALL day! It was a really fun day!" - Crystal - 1st Grade

"I have been in two schools before I got to Costello. This Halloween party was the best, this was almost the best day I had in my life. I love Costello I get to spend time with my friends, I have a lot of friends here, this is the best school with the best teacher ever!!! ." - Jayce - 4th grader

THANK YOU room parents and teachers for making today such a special time!!!

Be sure to check out the Troy School District Facebook page this evening for more photos.

Fifth Grade is having a blast at Camp Copneconic today!

Be safe and have a very Happy Halloween!

October 25, 2021

Parent Teacher Conferences October 27 & 28

Our teachers are looking forward to meeting with you this week over Zoom for Parent Teacher Conferences. We will not have any conferences in the building.

Halloween Plans...

THANK YOU to all of our room parents who are coordinating with teachers for the Halloween party planning! Please review details for the parade (click button below), looking forward to a fun celebration for our students.

Costumes...

Please be aware that costumes that are morbid, offensive, or extremely scary are NOT ALLOWED. Toy guns, knives, or other weapons may NOT be worn or brought to school, even if it is part of the “official” costume.

Allergy Alerts...

***With the variety of allergies, beyond peanuts and tree nuts, we need to be cautious with food items (see ingredients listed below for donuts). PARENTS OF STUDENTS WITH ALLERGIES - we ask that you communicate with your child's teacher and if necessary provide a specific treat for your child.***

Dismissal Safety...

Our goal is to safely and efficiently dismiss students. With nearly 420 students dismissing daily this is not a speedy process. It only takes a few out of order cars to further delay the process OR for student safety to be compromised. It is critical that ALL parents follow these procedures. Dismissal time is a great opportunity to model patience for your children!

Students who do not ride the bus or attend CARE dismiss in two different ways:

WALKERS & TALKERS

If you live close enough to walk or bike to school and you choose to meet your child by bike or by foot please meet your child inside of the north playground blacktop area OR by the kindergarten playground on the south side of the building. Crosswalks must be used to ensure safety for all. Waiting by the dumpster is not safe for students or adults. For everyone’s safety; if you are driving to pick up your child please use the Express Loop.

EXPRESS LOOP/CAR RIDERS

There is only one Express Loop for car riders, located directly in front of the school. The side parking lot does not function like the Express Loop. Express Loop users actually get the right-of-way since the child is not yet in the car.

• For your safety, if you are using the Express Loop, please stay in your car. Students will enter the vehicle from the back seat on the passenger side. Please consider this when securing car seats for younger children.

• Keep moving forward toward the end of the loop. Students wait with adults near cones. Even if you see your child keep moving toward the end of the loop. Students know the path and will head this way.

• DO NOT pull out from the THRU LANE to the EXPRESS LANE or vice versa to pass a car. For everyone’s safety it is imperative to follow this important procedure. If everyone follows this system the traffic will keep moving.

• Everyone is in a hurry, please be considerate of others. If you need a faster pick up, plan to arrive earlier to position yourself at the front of the loop; cutting in front of another vehicle is not a viable solution.

• A large sign on the passenger side of your car is helpful for our staff, this allows our staff to be able to use walkie-talkies to communicate and get your child ready for pick up.

REMINDERS

-Walkers, for everyone’s safety, PLEASE be sure you and your child are using the crosswalk.

-The office is quite busy at the very end of the day which is why we ask for late dismissal changes to be made (when possible) prior to 3:30.

The side parking lot is not to be used for parents parking; this is for staff parking. Students will not be released to families in the parking lot. Please, do not park your car and wait inside of your car for your child to come to you. If you are picking up your child use the Express Loop.

-During arrival and departure skateboards, bikes, scooters, etc. on the sidewalk in front of the school and around all traffic flow should be carried or pushed. The Troy Police Department partners with our schools to enforce our safety rules. Thank you for cooperation in an effort to keep all of our Costello students and family members safe.

Patience starts in the car rider loop! Thank you for following these guidelines to keep everyone safe. We appreciate your cooperation!

Well, the Fun Run was certainly a HUGE success!! It was wonderful to see so many families in attendance. Thanks for being such good sports, cheering your kiddos on in the rain. The rain seemed to “up” the level of fun for the kids, who doesn’t love jumping in puddles?!

Mr. Tennies and Mrs. Peeples deserve all the credit for putting the events together for the Fun Run. As you can imagine many hours of brainstorming, coordinating, volunteer recruiting, and communicating preceeded this event to make it all come together seemlessly. So well done, THANK YOU for all of your hard work. Also, thanks to our DJ, Mr. Frazier, we were ROCKING through the raindrops.

Thank you, Michele Yoo of Yoom Photography for sharing these great first grade pics:

https://yoomphotography.pixieset.com/funrun2021/

Costello Fun Run...

Mark your calendar for Friday, October 15th for the Costello Fun Run! We will have more details coming soon. Parents are invited to attend this outdoor event. This is always a very fun time for our community!

Health Monitoring...

Thank you for being diligent in monitoring your child's health on a daily basis. Our parent community has been very cautious and we appreciate that you are taking symptoms seriously.

Symptom Checks:

There are two categories of symptoms to look for and different requirements to return:

If student/staff experience ONE symptom from the first category (new cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, new loss of taste or smell), you must keep them home AND have a negative COVID-19 test to return or hae them stay home for a full10 day isolation period, be fever free without medication and symptoms must have improved to return.

If student/staff experience TWO symptoms in the second category (fever of 100.4 degrees or higher, chills, muscle aches, headache, sore throat, fatigue diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, congestion or runny nose) you must keep them home AND have a negative COVID-19 test to return or have them stay home for the full 10 day isolation period, be fever free without medication and symptoms must have improved to return.

If student/staff experience ONE sumptom in the second category (fever of 100.4 degrees or higher, chills, muscle aches, headache, sore throat, fatigue, diarrhea, nausea or vimiting, congestion or runny nose) you must keep them home and onsult your medical provider. Student/staff may return to work/school after being fever free for 24 hours without taking fever reducing medication and symptoms have improved. A negative test is not required for ONE syptom provided the above applies.

CATEGORY 1: New cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, new loss of taste or smell

CATEGORY 2: fever of 100.4, chills, muscle aches, headache, sore throat, fatigue, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, congestion, runny nose

Rapid tests are not accepted, only negative PCR tests.

For further details refer to the Return to Learn Guide.

PTO Updates...

Click link below to learn more about PTO news!

https://troyk12mi-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/tdiponio_troy_k12_mi_us/EVUwD4KtkHFOpD7xC4EhiaQBsNv1WrF4yo822X1tjM2tQg?e=DTPvVM

We are looking forward to our first PTO Meeting on Monday, September 20th at 7:00 PM. All meeting will be via Zoom this year. See link below. We hope you can join us. This is a terrific way to get involved and meet new families.

Join Zoom Meeting by clicking link below:

https://troyk12mi.zoom.us/j/6509536241?pwd=Q2xETkVPOERHN3pSckF3ckdsR1N1QT09

Meeting ID: 650 953 6241

Passcode: Cardinals

Media...

Our media program will be focusing on literacy, career exploration, maker centered opportunities, and library sciences. In case you were not able to attend Mrs. Homrich's Zoom session here are some details about the program.

Art...

Music...

https://troyk12mi.zoom.us/rec/share/cOkprEW5P74sVOUAyo8QsybYm2mBHnSxv9KY76k2RJOM2BJB8HLmcwMxLqx8Qerx.FQtbuesgYGMkD1s5

PE...

5th Grade Safeties...

We are so excited to have our 5th grade leaders helping out at arrival and dismissal.

Noon Aides...

We have a terrific team of noon aides, but we are always looking to expand. For more details email Jillian at jcavellier@troy.k12.mi.us

Snacks...

Students have snacks daily. Please be sure to send a healthy snack to school each day. Unfortunately, we will not be able to provide snacks for students that do not bring a snack. Having students pack their own snack is a great way to create independence and promote responsibility, even for our kindergarten friends.

Character Traits…

How do you use the Cardinal Traits of perseverance, integrity, respect and responsibility at home? Perhaps a good conversation to have at dinner sometime.

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend!

September 2, 2021

It has been a terrific first week of school at Costello! I saw student in LIVE specials, I heard students talking about books they read over the summer, observed problem solving as they took on the marshmallow challenge, heard classes talking about what it takes to be a good teammate, I saw students enjoying playing together at recess. The best part is seeing all of the smiles on students and adults. It just feels good to have everyone back in our nest! Thank you for sharing your children with us.

Curriculum Night: Thursday, September 9th

Teachers will be hosting Curriculum Night on Thursday, September 9th. Each teacher will host two sessions 6:00-6:30 and 6:30-7:00. Both sessions will cover the same content. We realize that there are families that have students in multiple grade levels, we hope that two live sessions will help to accommodate this schedule. Both meetings will be on Zoom. Teachers will send out Zoom links next week.

Noon Aides...

Special shout out to our parents who helped with recess and lunch this week. We could not have done it without you. What a team! THANK YOU! We are looking to expand our noon aide team, can you help? This a great way to connect with other parents and get to know our students. For more details please email jcavellier@troy.k12.mi.us

Wishing everyone a wonderful Labor Day holiday. We will see you on Tuesday, September 7th

August 29, 2021

It was wonderful seeing so many of you at Meet & Greet last week! Cardinals, we can't wait to see you on Tuesday, August 31st for The First Day of School! Tuesday is a half-day. Students will be dismissed at 12:59. See the Important Dates button below for more details about the first month of school.

Unsettled to Settled, but Never Settling...

Our teachers had a great week of learning last week. Dr. Machesky reviewed our district mission of Learning for All. Staff attended professional development sessions to help us support student success.

With our Costello I reflected on a recent canoe trip and the unexpected tipping of the canoe. What started off to be a perfect day was shattered within minutes as we found ourselves tangled up in a tree instead of peacefully floating down the river! Needless to say we were unsettled. We quickly had to priortize first things first; life jackets, keys, cell phones.

As a staff we talked about having unsettled feelings again this year. This year more than ever teachers have to priortize what is most important so that we can feel settled. We must put student safety and belonging, nurturing relationships and getting to know our students at the top of our list. This will help us to become settled and figure out the direction that we need to take to meet students where they are and help them learn and grow.

We know that all students will need something different and our staff is committed to ensure learning for all and never settling but always striving for continuous improvement.

Unsettled to Settled, but Never Settling...

Return to Learn 2021-2022

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WJDVGc6-9o-dZtkVENsGyzP8UU8Zm--Gbz-gukuY9O4/edit?usp=sharing

Arrival & Dismissal Details

Your child's safety is a top priority. Please stay in your car at all times when using the Express Loop. Please review the following information to learn more about lineup procedures, pickup and drop off. It is important that you do not drop your child off at school any earlier than 8:55.

ARRIVAL

Masks are to be worn by all students and adults as they enter the building.

Bus riders are required to wear masks as they enter the bus and throughout the ride.

For safety reasons, parents should NOT drop their child off any earlier than 8:55. Students will enter the building at 9:05. Students are tardy after 9:09.

During designated arrival time students will enter the building through specific doors, see map below.

DISMISSAL

We will use a staggered dismissal schedule to reduce the flow of students through and around our building. All students will be at the Express Loop by 4:07.

If you are using the Express Loop it is very helpful if you could have a visible sign in the passenger side of the car with your child's first and last name and grade level. Our staff will have walkie talkies to communicate who is coming and we will escort your child to the rear passenger seat of the car. For your safety, please remain inside the car.

To minimize gathering and congestion the parking lot is closed to parents during dismissal. The parking lot will be closed to parents parking and exiting their vehicles for two main reasons:

Another safety measure that staff will be implementing will be the grouping and supervision of teacher’s own individual classes during dismissal. Teachers will be able to see off each individual student as they depart with their designated family members or emergency contacts.

If your child walked or biked to school and has permission to walk home he/she can do so. Students who have parents that are walking to pick up will need to wait near the treed, grassy area by the kindergarten playground. In order to maintain physical distancing, please do not come to any other areas to locate your child. Thank you for understanding the importance of the staggered dismissal procedures.

REMINDERS…

Teachers are busy teaching and do not always get to check their e-mail. Sending a paper note to the teacher with your student is the best way to ensure the teacher receives any transportation changes.

If possible we ask for late dismissal changes to be made (when possible) prior to 3:30. We do realize that this is not always possible.

During arrival and dismissal skateboards, bikes, scooters, etc. on the sidewalk in front of the school and around all traffic flow should be carried or pushed. The Troy Police Department partners with our schools to enforce our safety rules. Thank you for cooperation in an effort to keep all of our Costello students and family members safe.

Patience starts in the Express Loop! Thank you for your cooperation!

Kindergarten First Day Details

https://troyk12mi-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/tdiponio_troy_k12_mi_us/EWmVWoTSFOtPs89VwOpDGXwByIFbZ8QXaRHEUMvsOdip1g?e=sA6Hmr

PERSEVERANCE - RESPECT - RESPONSIBILITY - INTEGRITY

Go Cardinals!!!

June 28, 2021

Hi everyone, hope you are all doing well and enjoying summer! Check out these great ideas for Summer Learning. Below the video you will find our Summer Learning Padlet. Some of our Costello students are featured in a video about starting book clubs. The Padlet is packed with valuable resources.

Summer Learning Padlet

https://padlet.com/jeldridge1/lqevvl57ik46pruu

Summer Learning Flipgrid

https://flipgrid.com/11a0160b

Report Cards will be posted on PowerSchools tomorrow, June 29th.

Have a safe and enjoyable 4th of July!

June 10, 2021

The very greatest things – great thoughts, discoveries, inventions – have usually been nurtured in hardship, often pondered over in sorrow, and at length established with difficulty.

-Samuel Smiles

We have certainly been through our share of hardships this year, but as we wrap up our time together there is a terrific sense of hope. We will move forward with stronger sense of community, a greater focus on treating others with kindness and grace. Thank you for continuing to prioritize what matters most. Thank you for your tremendous support throughout this year.

June 14, 15, 16…

Next week all of our Cardinals will be learning about our Costello Summer At-Home Learning Program. On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday teachers will be walking students through opportunities for extended learning over the summer. If you have multiple students at Costello this self-directed virtual summer program will follow the same format, but the content will be self-selected and related to each individual students’ interests.

Our last full week of in-seat is on Friday, June 11th here are a few more details about next week.

• All students will be virtual on June 14, 15, and 16.

• Students should plan to log into their classroom Zoom link on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at 9:20.

• Students will be logging off each day at approximately 10:20.

• The sessions on these three days will be for teachers to connect with students and share the summer learning opportunities.

• During a typical school year the last week of school consists of three half days. Afternoons are used for teacher management. This year the state added additional assessment requirements. The shortened schedule next week will ensure that teachers have time to accurately complete report cards, CA-60s, and data entry as well as initial planning for the 2021-2022 school year.

• Report cards will be available through PowerSchools on June 29th
• PTO Meeting - Monday, June 16th via Zoom 7:00 PM

Topic: Costello June PTO Meeting

Time: Jun 14, 2021 07:00 PM

Join Zoom Meeting

https://troyk12mi.zoom.us/j/85922964095?pwd=alNsOXJvVUxXdXN2MjhhOTkzYXp6Zz09

Meeting ID: 859 2296 4095

Passcode: 219850

Looking forward to seeing everyone at Freedom Hill Park for the movie night on June 16th!

https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1622126970/troyk12mius/ociznoc1lhmsuedipob5/21-June-Drive-In-Tix.pdf

https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1622126902/troyk12mius/flbyymlhjqzwzasoaolc/21-June-Movie.pdf

5th Grade Farewell...Off You Go…

We are so grateful that we were able to celebrate together, what a special day! Wishing you all the best 5th Graders as you leave our Costello nest and head off to middle school! You will be missed.

Thanks again to Mr. Myrick & Mr. Grant for an awesome Field Day!

Leaving Costello...

Ms. McKee, social worker, will be leaving Costello, she will remain in the district.

Mrs. Hansen, school psychologist, will be leaving Costello, she will remain in the district.

Mrs. Ford, reading support, will be leaving Costello.

Ms. Flavia, one of our noon aides, is moving back to Brazil.

We are so thankful to each of you and the positive influence you have had on our staff and students. We will miss you all! Thank you for your service!

Best of luck to all of our families who are not returning to Costello in the fall.

All of our Cardinals will be receiving this special journal to use over the summer for their extended learning opportunities.

Let's hear it for our OUTSTANDING Costello Staff Superheroes of 2020-2021! Our staff gave "shout outs" to each other, these will go into a time capsule to be opened when our current kindergartners graduate from high school in 2033!

May 7, 2021

Dear Costello Parents,

WOW!!!! Thank you for your tremendous generosity in contributing to our staff celebrations this week for Teacher Appreciation Week! Our staff was very well taken care of thanks to all of your efforts.

PTO Meeting Link...

Stay "in the know," join us for the PTO meeting on Monday evening, May 10th at 7:00 PM via the zoom link below.

https://troyk12mi.zoom.us/j/6509536241?pwd=Q2xETkVPOERHN3pSckF3ckdsR1N1QT09

DAILY STUDENT HEALTH ASSESSMENT REMINDERS...

In-seat learners must complete a student health assessment every day before your student gets on the bus or arrives at school. This is a critical step in keeping everyone safe. In order for us to be able to see who has not submitted the form, parents must complete the assessment for each of your students in your PowerSchool parent portal every day by 8:30am.

The health assessment is simple to do—here is a very short video that walks you through it:

DAILY STUDENT HEALTH ASSESSMENT INSTRUCTIONS: https://youtu.be/JmueOJoFvfY

Here are some written instructions as well:

1) Log in to your Parent Portal on PowerSchool

2) Click “Student Assessment” in the banner across the top

3) Answer 4 questions about your student’s health that day

4) Click submit (and repeat the process for every student in your family

It’s important that you keep your student home if you answer “Yes” to any of the questions or your child is ill in any way. This year, it’s especially critical not to come to school sick and we are counting on you, as parents, to partner with us to protect the health and safety of every student and staff member. This first week, you will get a daily automated phone call reminding you to complete the assessment—if you do not submit the assessment, you will receive a follow up call from the school requiring you to complete it. Repeated failure to comply with the daily health assessments will result in your student returning to virtual learning.

Thank you for your help on this matter.

Congratulations to Mr. McKinney & Mr. Rondot on their newly published book!!!!

https://innovation4education.wordpress.com/2021/05/06/the-expert-effect-a-three-part-system-to-break-down-the-walls-of-your-classroom-and-connect-your-students-to-the-world-a-synopsis-of-our-new-book/

A Glimpse Around Costello...

Wishing all of our Costello moms a wonderful Mother's Day!

April 30, 2021

March 12, 2021

Thanks to all of our guest readers who have been participating in March is reading month. We are having a terrific time celebrating reading at Costello! Looking forward to seeing everyone on Zoom next week, don't forget to check the March is Reading Month calendar before you get ready for school next week!

District Survey...

Please be watching your email for updates from the district. The final Return to Learn survey will be coming out soon. There will be a deadline established and if the survey is not completed by the deadline the students will be default to virtual. Please let me know if you have questions.

Parent Teacher Conferences - March 15-18...

Don't miss this opportunity to meet with your child's teacher. It's not too late to sign up http://www.ptcfast.com/schools/Costello_Elementary All conference are being held via ZOOM.

Research has proven that parent/teacher conferences are a vital part of any successful educational process. Thank you for supporting this important school activity.

Principal Office Hours...

Please feel free to join me on Zoom on Monday, March 15th. I will be hosting a drop in office hour session from 5:30-6:00 https://troyk12mi.zoom.us/j/6509536241?pwd=Q2xETkVPOERHN3pSckF3ckdsR1N1QT09 and another from 6:30-7:00. I miss being able to connect with families and wanted to provide this opportunity. I know that you may have questions about the Return to Learn plan, or questions related to the recent surveys that the district has sent out. Since Parent Teacher Conferences are meant to be specifically about your child's progress other questions can be addressed at these meetings. If these times don't work please feel free to reach out to me via email at tdiponio@troy.k12.mi.us.

Costello Announcements...

So proud of our students, teachers, and families for putting together the weekly announcements. Love to see the creativity and how each one is unique. Here's a link to our website in case you have not yet seen them, Ms. Watts class will be posted next week https://costello.troy.k12.mi.us/students/weekly-student-announcements Enjoy!

February 26, 2021

Thank you Costello families for your continuous support. There have been so many shifts and changes this year. We appreciate your flexibility.

It is easy to get bogged down with the many challenges that we are facing. Fortunately our Costello students amaze us each day. If you need some inspiration in your life watch this https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aRJ1WqLcJcxcjh_Yl4QN0csgqNOZ-HIl/view

MARCH IS READING MONTH IS ALMOST HERE!

The Costello staff got warmed up for March is Reading Month this week by playing a game of human scrabble. Everyone teamed up to try and build the word with the most points.

Fridgeworthy...Print and post this handy MIRM calendar so that you can enjoy these fun activities!

https://troyk12mi-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/tdiponio_troy_k12_mi_us/EcaiDbrVgpFHnnH7YSQkzQUB7xqRLm_buAla7Z0orOfPWQ?e=kuPq3M

Now that you have picked out your books for March is Reading Month it's time to record your video! Follow these simple steps and add to our Costello video reading collection!

Have you signed up for Parent Teacher Conferences?

Use the link below to schedule your Zoom conference as soon as possible.

http://www.ptcfast.com/schools/Costello_Elementary

News from PTO...

Hello Costello Families and Staff,

This school year has looked very different from past years, including our ability to host our traditional fun events like the Fun Run and school fair. We may have the opportunity to provide a family fun night this spring...a drive-in movie! This event will be an opportunity to spend outdoor, socially-distant time with our Costello community and have a little bit of fun as our school year closes.

To gauge interest in this event, please complete this brief survey by March 3rd.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/XB6KP6K

If we are able to host this family-centered event, more details will follow.

Thank you for completing the survey,

Ingrid Peeples and the Costello PTO

District Updates...

Please stay informed on district news through Kerry Birmingham's emails. The district wants to be sure that you have an opportunity to provide input on upcoming decisions. Surveys went out this week.

Calling All Kindergartners...

If you know of a child that is ready to begin kindergarten in the fall, please e-mail jcavellier@troy.k12.mi.us .

Plans for the 2021/2022 school year are underway. Be sure to get your incoming kindergarten student on the list.

Once kindergarten enrollment is completed you will be shared a link to the Kindergarten Round-Up meeting on April 16th.

February 12, 2021

THANK YOU so much for helping me celebrate this week! It has been a fun week! I loved seeing the students participate. The best story of the week was from a kindergartner, "The 80's is when the dinosaurs were still alive!" Thank you for all of the kind words, cards and gifts. PTO was so generous, a special leader key chain, gift card and we were all treated to sandwiches today. It is a pleasure to serve the Costello community. Thank you for all of your support and for sharing your wonderful children with us.

Important Reminders...

Be sure to check out the important dates (click on button above). There will be no school on Monday and Tuesday, February 15 and 16 for mid-winter recess. Virtual learning will begin on Wednesday, February 17th through Friday, February 19th. Students should plan to log on at 9:10 each morning.

LIVE will start next week on Wednesday, February 17th.

Enjoy your long weekend!

February 5, 2021

Dear Costello Families,

I am so inspired by the amazing work happening in our classrooms each day. The students (Zoomies & Roomies) are engaged in deep learning and the teachers are continuously finding new and creative ways to have both groups partner together: Small group content presentations, partner reading, student led art lessons during indoor recess, just to name a few. Today we had a couple of 5th graders create a video for the younger students on how to open a milk carton! We even have some parents volunteering to read with students on Zoom. We are embracing the challenges and finding new opportunities!

PTO Meeting

Monday, February 8th at 7:00PM - Please click link below to join:

https://troyk12mi.zoom.us/j/6509536241?pwd=Q2xETkVPOERHN3pSckF3ckdsR1N1QT09

Winter Weather

The students love being able to play outside; building forts and creating snow structures. Thank you for providing all of the necessary warm snow gear (hats, gloves, snow pants, snow boots, scarves) so that outside play is is fun and the children are not cold. We will go outside as much as possible, however, when the temperatures are too cold we will have structured indoor recess. Using the TSD district guidelines we will have outdoor recess if the "feels like" temperature is 10 degrees or warmer, if the "feels like" temperature is 9 degrees or colder we will be indoors.

Morning Line Up

We are anticipating VERY cold temperatures next week, please remember that students cannot enter the building until the bell rings at 9:10. Please plan accordingly. Students should not arrive at their entry door any earlier than 9:05.

Parent Teacher Conferences

ALL parents will be offered an opportunity to sign up for Parent Teacher Conferences coming up on March 17th and 18th. Links and communication coming soon.

March is Reading Month

Of course MIRM will look a little different this year, but we certainly want to continue to involve our families, so pick out your book and get ready to read! If you have a children's book in mind that might align with your career, culture, or something that inspires you this would be a great way to expose students to new learning. We would love for you to participate in video readings. More information coming soon!

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT TSD LIVE REGISTRATION

LIVE Registration opened February 1: Just a reminder, if you are interested in our LIVE program for the longer virtual breaks in February, March and April, you must register. All students/families who were already registered in November/December have already been contacted and enrolled if interested, and there are limited spots available for new students/families. Please do NOT wait to register if you know you need a spot, registration closes on February 10th. You can register at : https://troy.ce.eleyo.com/child-care/6/l-i-v-e

A Peek into our Classrooms...

January 25, 2021

Dear Costello Families,

Whether you are a Zoomie or a Roomie parent I hope this message finds you and your family doing well. I was in Ms. Watts classroom today and discovered an inspirational book called I Am Human by Susan Verde. I encourage you to share this story with your entire family; from toddlers to grandparents and everyone in between. Weaved throughout the book are opportunities for thoughtful reflection about mistakes, forgiveness, and how to treat others. Everyone is trying to balance so much right now which we know can be stressful, the messages in this book are great reminders for all.

If you find balancing work time and family time to be a challenge, you are not alone. Our teachers are spending a lot of time reflecting on balance lately too. In addition to work and family, our teachers are continuously thinking about equally serving the Roomies and the Zoomies, giving individual attention to all of their students, and working across small groups. As I pop in and out of the classrooms and Zoom sessions I get to see AMAZING learning, positive classroom leadership and role models, patience and creativity. Thank you for your continuous support and encouragement during this challenging time.

Special Moments...

Students using their friends for help while the teacher is working with another group of students.

A patient thumbs up from the Zoomies while we troubleshoot tech issues!

Students advocating for each other, "Can you please help _______ he did not get a milk."

One kindergartner to another... "You better eat your lunch or you are going to be hungry!"

Reading Resources...

We hope that part of your joy over the holidays will include reading! Here are some great resource put together by our school partners at the Teachers College for Reading and Writing in New York.

These family video collections are helpful for parents and caregivers. Great ways to support your children with reading, writing, phonics, and finding and accessing books - especially digital book collections. The videos are between 3 and 9 minutes in length, on a variety of topics, and they will be adding new videos to the collection periodically.

K-2 Family Video Collection

https://tcrwp.padlet.org/TCRWP/k_2_family_videos

3-5 Family Video Collection

https://tcrwp.padlet.org/TCRWP/3_5_family_videos

Best of Children's Literature - 2019

https://tcrwp.padlet.org/Shana/BestOfChildrensLiteratureOf2019_TCRWP

BIPOC Authors and Illustrators of Children's Nonfiction

https://tcrwp.padlet.org/Shana/Grades4_8__OwnVoiceFiction_TCRWP

Fabulous Fantasy Grades 1-8

https://tcrwp.padlet.org/Shana/Grades1_8__LevelsK_Z__Fantasy_TCRWP

Great Graphic Novels Grades 1-9

https://tcrwp.padlet.org/Eric/GradesK_8__LevelsH_Z__GraphicNovels_TCRWP

Get Kids Into Reading with Series! Grades K-5

https://tcrwp.padlet.org/Molly/PreK_5__LevelsC_T__TransitionalSeriesBooks_TCRWP

Author Read Alouds

https://tcrwp.padlet.org/TCRWP/authorsreadingaloudtheirbook_TCRWP

Fast and Furious Weekend Reads Grades 4-8

https://tcrwp.padlet.org/Shana/Grades4_8__LevelsK_M__VariedGenre_TCRWP

THANK YOU!

I have received so many lovely cards, gifts and wonderful notes. I truly appreciate your thoughtfulness.

Important Dates...

No School - Winter Break December 21 - January 1

School resumes on January 4, 2021

January 8th - K-5 Assessment Day. STUDENTS WILL ONLY LOG IN FOR THEIR ASSESSMENT TIME SLOT. More details to follow when we return.

January 15 students will log off at 12:00 PM

No School - Martin Luther King Jr. Day - January 18

No School - Presidents Day - February 1

No School - Mid-Winter Recess - February 15-16

School resumes on February 17

Thank you again for your tremendous support. Wishing you and your families a healthy break. Happy Holidays & Cheers to a bright and hopeful 2021!

December 4, 2020

Dear Costello Families,

I hope that you are staying healthy and that you enjoyed your Thanksgiving break. I am sure it was different this year for many of you. As we kick off the busy month of December, we are focusing on the trait of empathy, giving to others and spreading joy. See this video for more details. We appreciate your support!

I bet you can come up with many more great ideas on ways you and your family could spread joy to others!

We will have a drop off box in the Costello lobby labeled CARDS FOR NURSING HOME. We will collect these until December 16th! Thanks for helping us fill the box!

Community Involvement

As a building, we are trying to bring our Costello community together in different ways as we navigate our virtual environment. One of our ideas is to have families create announcements. Yes, your family can be featured in our school-wide announcements. Interested? Keep reading for more details:

In an effort to not make the announcements look the same each week we are looking for different families, teachers, and staff to make this assignment their own vs. providing a formatted template. Here are some basic guidelines.

"REQUIRED" CONTENT: FUN FOR ALL K-5

• Introduce your family or the family members included in the video.

• Lead the Pledge of Allegiance (one family member or all, the dog, the hamster, etc.)

• Weigh in on why you think it is important for families, communities, students, etc. to follow traits like the Cardinal traits.

• In an engaging way, tell how your family uses the Cardinal Traits of Perseverance, Respect, Responsibility, and Integrity. You can choose one or all of the traits to feature OR choose another important character trait.

.• SHOW the character trait for students to see the word.

• Quick ending wrap up....challenge another family to make the next family video.

SUGGESTED CONTENT (pick and choose) Please keep to a maximum of 5 minutes

• Share a tip on what your family does to make "stay at home" fun.
• Promote diversity - Help all of the Costello families learn about your family's culture and celebrations.
• Why is math, reading, science, _______ important to your family?
• Anything that would align to our Cardinal Traits and benefit elementary students.

You do not need to state the date as it will be plugged in when the announcement is sent out.

Video Formatting...

Each of the sections that you choose to make can be a separate video link that can be sent to me in an email at tdiponio@troy.k12.mi.us . Please put COSTELLO ANNOUNCEMENTS in the subject. I will upload it to Vimeo and send it out as a Spark page or something similar.

Your announcement may shared out with all Costello families, posted on Twitter, Facebook, the Costello webpage. If you have special requests to NOT share on these formats please just let me know.

Some parts may need to be edited or left out based on other announcements and the need to keep this short and sweet 🙂. Based on participation all videos may not be able to be shown.

When is this due? There is not a deadline. This will be an ongoing project/opportunity. Based on participation your video may be submitted in December but may not air until April.

The Harper family volunteered to get us started. Here are two of their clips! What an awesome job!

Thanks for participating and allowing our community to get to know your family even during this time of distancing.

Pandemic Support Resources

A special thank you to Allison McKee and our district Social Workers for putting together these valuable resources for families to reference during this challenging time.

Online Activities to Help Students Cope with COVID-19 · https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/six_online_activities_to_help_students_cope_with_covid_19

Empowering Our Minds Against a Pandemic (for adults) · https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-high-functioning-alcoholic/202003/empowering-our-minds-against-pandemic

Keep Calm and Structure On: How to manage emotions and build structure at home during COVID-19 (for adults) · https://www.makesociallearningstick.com/blog/keep-calm-and-structure-on-how-to-manage-emotions-and-build-structure-at-home-during-covid-19/

Talking to children about COVID-19 (teachers and or adults) · https://www.unicef.org/georgia/how-teachers-can-talk-children-about-coronavirus-disease-covid-19#:~:text=Make%20sure%20to%20listen%20to%20students'%20concerns%20and%20answer%20their,the%20elbow%20and%20washing%20hands.

24 ways to comfort kids without physical contact: Strategies for teachers and pod parents during COVID-19 · https://www.connecticutchildrens.org/back-to-school/ways-to-comfort-kids-without-physical-contact-strategies-for-teachers-and-pod-parents-during-covid-19/

Report Cards will be posted in PowerSchool December 15

LOOKING AHEAD...

December 18 and January 15 students will log off at 12:00 PM

No School - Winter Break December 21 - January 1

School resumes on January 4, 2021

No School - Martin Luther King Jr. Day - January 18

November 20, 2020

Whatever happened to all of those pop tabs we collected??? Check out Caleb's awesome video to find out!

Virtual Book Fair Ends November 24th

https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1604681468/troyk12mius/tuw2iy0tc47eb2cwld3k/Fall_2020_virtual_book_fair_flyer_Costello.pdf

A Glimpse of Our Learning...

Click the button above to hear a special story that ties in nicely with the Thanksgiving holiday.

Have you picked up your grade level materials and supplies? The lobby will be open from 7:30AM until 6:30 PM when virtual school is in session.

No School November 25, 26, 27.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

November 6, 2020

Dear Costello Families,

On behalf of the entire Costello staff we are thinking about you and your families. There is so much going on in all of our lives. The TSD communication sent out yesterday regarding our move to virtual learning was certainly not an easy decision. We were looking forward to inviting more students into our schools soon, but with the current situation the decision to move to virtual is a safe and responsible decision. Thank you all for your support.

All of our students have been so great through all of the changes, they are resilient and rise to meet the expectations we set for them. Thank you parents for all that you are doing to model "getting through the hard stuff" and persevering with a positive attitude.

VIRTUAL LEARNING BEGINS ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9TH for ALL STUDENTS K-5. Students will log onto Zoom at 9:10. On Monday, students will log off at 12:00. This log off time is designed to give teachers time to adjust schedules, plan and gather materials for students to learn from home.

Stay tuned for more details on materials distribution

SCHEDULES...

The virtual schedule will look very similar to the students current schedule. Please give the teachers a little time to adjust before establishing a "final" schedule. Though we would love to accommodate lunch time for all students at the same time this is not possible due to our support services, differentiated instruction, and specials schedules.

BOOKS...

Dr. Reese, the teachers and Mrs. Martus are busy putting in orders for some new books for our students. Library book check-out will continue.

URGENT SUPERVISION/INTERNET NEEDS: L.I.V.E.

We recognize that turning back the dial to virtual learning will leave some of our families in crisis, with few safe options for students while parents work or are otherwise unable to care for children during the day. Therefore, as a service to our community, we are creating opportunities for supervision in several of our buildings for students in grades K-6 beginning next Wednesday, November 11th. L.I.V.E. (Learning in a Virtual Environment) will be offered to current in-seat students first, with all in-seat students in those grade levels eligible. I want to be clear that this is NOT school. This is an opportunity for a limited number of students to spend the day in a supervised environment, with access to reliable internet where they can log on to virtual instruction from their classroom teacher. Breakfast and lunch will be served, and students will have the opportunity to go outside and participate in other enrichment activities outside of virtual instruction. Masks and all other strict safety protocols must be followed. These opportunities will be provided at no cost for those families who have supervision or internet needs for their students. They will be set up at limited buildings throughout the district and transportation will be provided if needed. No additional tutoring or instructional support will be provided. You may wonder why this is considered safe when in-seat instruction is not. The two are markedly different, both in numbers and in reasoning. Although it is not ideal, we know that most of our students can learn in a virtual setting. We also know that some of our students do not have a consistent, secure environment when our schools are closed. This is an emergency measure intended to fill a need for families and a service to our community with a limited number of students in each building (not to exceed state guidelines). Our secondary buildings will also survey families of students in grades 7-12 to see if there is interest in us providing an opportunity for students to have access to a supervised wifi-enabled environment for them to access their virtual learning.

Please stay tuned for details from the district through Kerry Birmingham.

Enjoy the lovely weather this weekend and stay well. Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you again for all of your support.

September 7, 2020

I hope that you are all enjoying a terrific Labor Day! Thank you for all that you are doing to partner with your child's teacher. We had a very successful first week and are looking forward to another great week ahead.

Special Start this Week...

Students will begin specials (Art, Music, Physical Education) starting tomorrow afternoon. Teachers will share the schedule and how to access the specials Zoom links in Schoology. Our specials teachers have been planning for "live" virtual instruction and they look forward to meeting the students tomorrow. You may have more questions regarding your child's specials schedule, during curriculum night the teachers will go over the schedule in greater depth.

Virtual Curriculum Night - Thursday, September 10

5:00-5:30 SPECIALS Teachers - Art, PE, Music

6:00-6:30 Kindergarten and Third Grade

6:30-7:00 Fourth Grade

7:00-7:30 Second and Fifth Grades

* Teachers will send out links *

WHAT ARE SMALL GROUPS?

Small groups will be starting this week. Small group is a great time for teachers to get to know students better. Teachers will use small group time to meet with students individually or in groups of 3-6 student. Here is a list of some of the learning that may take place during small groups.

• ELD Instruction
• Special Education Intervention (Social Work, Speech, Occupational Therapy, Resource Room Services, etc.)
• F&P Assessments
• Reading Recovery - 1st Grade
• Guided Practice
• Reteaching
• Reading/Writing interventions
• Phonics Instruction
• Center Type Activities (word work, math games, etc.)
• Provide meaningful feedback to students
• Paper/pencil activities
• Social Emotional lessons
• Anything that a teacher would like to do with a student or group that cannot be done whole group.

Small group takes place in a classroom daily throughout our school year. Not all of these learning opportunities take place at the same time. During September, January, and May, our teachers administer F & P literacy assessments. This will take up most of the small group time as your child's teacher will need to meet with each student individually to administer these assessments. This is also a law that we need to follow in order to be in compliance with the Michigan Department of Education. Once we are able to get through the assessments, we will be able to use the data we gather to form small groups to further support reading, writing, and math needs for students.

Whether we are face-to-face or virtual we want to build students' stamina for independent work time. The learning task lists that teachers will share with students not only provides meaningful reinforcement of skills that the students are learning, but it gives the students time to build their independence. The students not in the small group for a particular session will have learning tasks to complete, these may be some of the items from the above list, or other independent activities. Prior to pulling students into small groups the teachers will review with the entire class what they should be working on individually. We also recognize the importance of stepping away from the screen and doing more paper/pencil activities. Teachers may engage students in this type of work too.

Please reach out to me should you have any questions or concerns. tdiponio@troy.k12.mi.us or 248-823-3720.

Dr. DiPonio

August 29, 2020

Hey Cardinals the first day of school is almost here! All of the teachers have been hard at work preparing to welcome you on September 1st. Instead of coming to school you will be connecting through Schoology on Tuesday morning at 8:30. If you have not logged into Schoology be sure to do so this weekend so you can be ready on day 1. If you need help contact the Troy Technology Support Department schoology@troy.k12.mi.us

We realize that students will need to build their stamina and understanding of this new style of learning. Our teachers will be working through this with the students as well as building classroom relationships, supporting social-emotional needs, explaining virtual classroom norms and establishing learning expectations. Small groups will take place in the afternoons starting during the second week of school.

THE FIRST THREE DAYS

September 1st

Student Day: 8:30am-12:00

September 2nd

Student Day: 8:30am-12:00

September 3rd

Student Day: 8:30am-12:00

Specials classes will not be held during the first three days, they will begin on week two.

PARENT SCHOOLOGY RESOURCES

Click on button below, choose download to open embedded links.

KINDERGARTEN MATERIAL PICK-UP: MONDAY, AUGUST 31ST

Kindergarten students’ educational materials will be distributed (via car parade style). Please plan to remain in your car and drive through the Express Loop (just follow the car in front of you) during your child's teacher's scheduled time.

3:30 – Mrs. Wonsowicz

3:45 – Mrs. Marcaccio

4:00 - Mrs. Flahtery

Please have your child’s name and their teacher’s name written (in BIG letters) on a large sheet of paper and place it on the passenger side of the car window as you drive through the loop. You will drive to the school front doors – show your child’s (and their teacher’s name) and you will be given (while you remain in your car) your kindergarten student’s learning materials.

Kindergarten teachers are looking forward to being a part of this process!!!

GRADE 1-5 MATERIALS PICK-UP: TUES., SEPTEMBER 1

Place large sign on passenger side of car with students’ last name and grade.

Remain in your car as you pull up to the front door via the Express Loop

Costello staff members (not teachers as they are in will bring your materials to your car.

5th Grade 1:00-1:30 pm

4th Grade 1:30-2:00 pm

3rd Grade 2:00-2:30 pm

2nd Grade 2:30-3:00 pm

1st Grade 3:00-3:30

COSTELLO SCHOOL-WIDE CURRICULUM NIGHT INFORMATIONAL MEETING: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2ND 5:30 PM

**GRADE LEVELS/TEACHERS WILL BE COMMUNICATING FOLLOW-UP MEETINGS**

Topic: Tammy DiPonio's Zoom Meeting

Time: Sep 2, 2020 05:30 PM America/Detroit

Join Zoom Meeting

https://troyk12mi.zoom.us/j/6509536241?pwd=Q2xETkVPOERHN3pSckF3ckdsR1N1QT09

Meeting ID: 650 953 6241

Passcode: Cardinals

On behalf of our Costello community I would like to thank you for your patience and support as we tackle this new way of learning. The teachers are excited to meet their students and are looking forward to getting the year underway! As always if I can be of any assistance please don't hesitate to reach out to me at 248-823-3720 or via email at tdiponio@troy.k12.mi.us. Don't forget to follow @Costello_Tweets and @TammyDiPonio on Twitter and join the Costello PTO Facebook page. See you all soon via ZOOM!!!

August 24, 2020

You are invited to a Zoom webinar You are invited to a Zoom webinar.

When: Aug 26, 2020 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Topic: Virtual Learning Parent Q & A with Costello, Hill & Wass

Please click the link below to join the webinar:

https://troyk12mi.zoom.us/j/83896472928?pwd=d1ZBTnh2MVplVDZNQW9UMmV6ekp0QT09

When: Aug 26, 2020 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Topic: Virtual Learning Parent Q & A with Costello, Hill & Wass

Please click the link below to join the webinar:

August 22, 2020

Dear Costello Families,

Welcome to the 2020-2021 School Year! This week you will be receiving important information and updates. Kerry Birmingham will be sending out communication on Schoology, explaining how to access teacher assignments, instructions for logging in on the first day of school, schedules, and other district updates.

IMPORTANT DATES

• August 27 – District Communication via School Messenger - Teacher Placement

• September 1 - First Day of School 8:30 AM

• September 1 – Materials Pick-Up at Costello (see below)

• September 2 – Virtual Curriculum Night - Zoom links and times will be announced later this week.

We are looking forward to a terrific start to our year! My hope for Costello is that we lean into what makes our school unique and sets us apart from others; our strong sense of community. Community starts with our families, it extends to our neighborhoods, it carries over to our school, and reaches inside of every classroom.

As a staff we are committed to creating positive relationships with our students and families. During this interesting and challenging time sticking together and supporting one another is more important than ever. We want to be exceedingly human, flexible, and understanding with our families and students, knowing that over these past few months we have all been impacted in different ways. Thank you also for supporting our teachers and staff members as they too are also navigating through these times with their own families.

Who's on First?

Here are the staffing updates for this year, please join me in welcoming our new teachers...

Devon Watts is joining our fifth grade team, she has been in our district for several years as a Spanish teacher, working in all 12 of our elementary buildings with students from kindergarten through fifth grade!

Please welcome Jodie Seilheimer to our first grade team, Jodie most recently taught second grade as well as other elementary grades! Mike Thomas is joining us from Hamilton Elementary where he has taught kindergarten and first grade. Jodie and Mike will be joining Colleen Chick, who taught third grade at Costello last year, as our new first grade team!!

Jill Flaherty taught GSRP at Costello for the past several years. Jill is moving to kindergarten this year!

Lindsey Maliepaard will be teaching third grade this year!

We are so fortunate to have a solid team of talented and dedicated teachers at Costello and look forward to showing our newest team members just how AWESOME Costello is!

TEAM LINE UP...

Kindergarten Team:

Mrs. Jill Flaherty, Mrs. Kristen Marcaccio, Mrs. Stefanie Wonsowicz, Mr. Seth Wyatt - Student Teacher

First Grade Team:

Ms. Colleen Chick, Mrs. Seilheimer, Mr. Mike Thomas

Second Grade Team:

Mrs. Emily Homrich & Ms. Kelsey Kavulich

Third Grade Team:

Mrs. Ewa Dabrowski, Mrs. Lindsey Malieaard, Mrs. Tessoff

Fourth Grade Team:

Ms. Ferriss, Mrs. Amanda Oliver, Mr. Zach Rondot

Fifth Grade Team:

Ms. Julie Eldridge, Mr. Grayson McKinney, Ms. Devon Watts

Itinerant Staff:

Mrs. Mary Farran, Mrs. Karey Hansen, Ms. Allison McKee, Ms. Katie Kerch, Dr. Reese, Ms. Jen Erff, Ms. Cathy Rozmanik

Specials Teachers: To Be Determined

Office Team:

Mrs. Jennifer Martus, Mrs. Jillian Cavellier, Tammy DiPonio

Custodian: Ms. Queen

Our teachers have been preparing throughout the summer in virtual trainings and planning sessions for a strong start to our year. The district gathered and used feedback from stakeholders to make adjustments to the structure of learning that students experienced in the spring. Our new schedule takes into consideration the need for consistency and live engagement.

CURRICULUM NIGHT

Please mark your calendar for a virtual Curriculum Night September 2nd & September 10th to learn what you can expect this year. Look for links and times from your child's teacher(s).

MATERIALS PICK-UP: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

KINDERGARTEN SUPPLY PICK-UP & AND PARADE WILL BE ON MONDAY, AUGUST 31ST - SEE SCHOOL MESSENGER SENT ON 8/28 FOR DETAILS

 Pick up will take place at Costello.

 Place large sign in passenger side of car with students’ last name and grade.

 No need to get out of the car. Drive through pick up will take place in the Express Loop in the front of the school.

 Teachers will not be distributing materials as they will be in professional development training. Another Costello staff member will be assisting with material distribution.

 Only parents or a designated adult should plan for materials pick up.

 Parents are required to wear a mask.

 We will be practicing social distancing.

 If you have symptoms or you are ill please do not plan to come to the materials pick up sessions.

 Parents are not permitted to enter the school.

PICK-UP TIMES

5th Grade 1:00-1:30pm

4th Grade 1:30-2:00pm

3rd Grade 2:00-2:30pm

2nd Grade 2:30-3:00pm

1st Grade 3:00-3:30pm

We will do our best to accommodate all family pick-ups at the same time so that you do not have to come through multiple times for students in different grade levels.

ITEMS TO PICK-UP

• Pre-Ordered School Supplies

• Math workbooks

• Niki folders

• First day packet/School information

• Other items

• Note: TSD iPad distribution will take place at a later date.

STILL HAVE SCHOOL ITEMS TO RETURN?

• Return all library books/school owned items (not iPads) during pick up. Staff will assist with collection.

We appreciate your support and want to work with you to assist your children. Please feel free to email me if you have additional questions. Looking forward to a very successful school year!

Dr. DiPonio

Stay updated through Twitter @Costello_Tweets and @TammyDiPonio

Also, connect with families by joining our Costello PTO Facebook.

June 11, 2020

Dear Costello Families,

Well it has certainly been a year that none of us will ever forget. Thank you for your support throughout the year and certainly over these past few months. I know you have all modeled PERSEVERANCE for your children as you took on virtual learning while working full time and balancing the emotional needs and responsibilities of a family. Now that your children have ZOOMed into their next grade level I hope that you can disconnect and gain back some sense of normalcy. Wishing all of you a healthy and relaxing summer.

THANK YOU COSTELLO TEACHERS...

It goes without saying, our teachers worked extremely hard to recreate virtual classrooms. Through all of the change they maintained what really matters most; relationships and connections.

RETIREES...

Best of luck to Mrs. Callas, Mrs. Dagenais, and Mrs. Gustin as they begin their retirement. We were so fortunate to have them at Costello. They will be greatly missed.

A PARTING MESSAGE FROM MRS. GUSTIN...

http://tsdmedia.weebly.com/costello.html

BEST OF LUCK...

We wish Mrs. Bosio good luck as she takes a year of absence to spend time with her family next year!

LARSON BOUND...