In this Newsletter:
Note: Translations provided by DeepL
Dear Families and Caregivers,
This month flew by! 
 
Next Thursday, Elementary students are looking forward to their first field trip since before the pandemic at Northeastern University for the Marie Jean Philip ASL Poetry, Storytelling, Deaf Art competition. Here is a link to last week’s announcement from Shira.
 
MCAS testing is now underway! If you have any questions, please contact our MCAS coordinator, Mandy Houghton. Here is a link to the letter.

MCAS Dates:
Third grade:
English Language Arts: Wednesday 4/6 & Friday 4/8
Math: Thursday 5/5 & Friday 5/6
 
Fourth grade
English Language Arts: Wednesday 3/30 & Friday 4/1
Math: Thursday 5/12 & Friday 5/13
 
Fifth grade:
English Language Arts Monday 4/4 & Tuesday 4/5
Math: Thursday 5/19 & Friday 5/20
Science: Tuesday 5/3 & Wednesday 5/4
Happy Pi Day from our fourth-grade students!:
Some second-grade students have just completed a project on sea turtles during their LA class. They first researched sea turtles and then created their own play. The play emphasized the many dangers sea turtles encounter and how we can protect this endangered species. They invested a lot of work and learned so much in this process. They held up signs on the sidewalk to share the message with those driving by campus, and as a wrap up, they invited their peers to a movie premiere where they walked the red carpet:
5th grade students learned about Deaf actor Troy Kotsur and his recent Oscar winning! The students felt inspired and wrote him a letter to congratulate him!:
Have a wonderful weekend! 
~ Sarah and Janice
Reminder:
For late arrivals and early pick-ups: Please call the Elementary front office at 774-244-3112 or email: elementarydept@tlcdeaf.org. If students are dropped off after 8:00 AM, please check in at the White House/Admin building, and a staff member from Elementary will come and meet your child.  
Important Dates/Reminders: (Link here for Academic Calendars)
  • April 13: Early release
  • April 18-22: Spring break
  • April 29: End of Third Quarter
  • May 11: Early release for MPS
  • May 18: Early release for ECC and Elementary only -- Parent teacher conferences
  • May 30: No School
  • June 1: Early dismissal
  • June 16: Elementary’s last day in June (*tentative, pending further snow days)
  • June 20th: Juneteenth observed (No school)
  • June 21: ECC and Secondary’s last day in June (*tentative, pending further snow days)
  • July 5: School reopens
  • July 13: Early dismissal
  • July 28: Last day of school (Noon dismissal)
National Literacy Competition
Annually, Gallaudet University hosts a National Literary Competition. We have two fields: signing and writing. Students all over the country submit their entries; NLC then reviews those entries to determine awards. 

TLC students have been involved in this year for the first time ever since. Their works are amazing and beautiful. We are excited to show you two students’ written works with their commentary. We also want to let you all know that NLC has recognized three of our students and they are awarded for their signing works. We will also show you those films. 

We want recognize and offer gratitude to our staffers for their work, to work closely with our students and to support them in the process of writing and signing: Christine Stratemeier is a Language Arts teacher who has supported high school students in their written works. Kelsey Wessman worked closely with middle school students during their ASL time; in recent, she has supported students’ signing works. Karen O’Hicks is an ASL teacher who has worked closely with students. Nick Mansel is a Classroom Assistant who has supported and encouraged middle school students in the process of signing. 
Two green inspired hands. Blue letters underneath The Learning Center for the Deaf.