First Branch Newsletter: Vol 4

Volume 4 | January 14th, 2022

The First Branch Newsletter

One river, two towns, unlimited discoveries

A newsletter connecting and celebrating the Chelsea & Tunbridge schools

Through this bi-weekly newsletter Principal Mark Blount and Principal Michael Livingston bring to our First Branch families photos, stories, and updates

from the Chelsea and Tunbridge schools.

Upcoming Dates to Note:

January 17th: No school, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

January 19th: Community Forum on Restructuring Efforts, facilitated by Tarrant Institute 6-7pm hosted at Chelsea Public School and virtually.

January 28th: Middle School Progress Reports, K-8 Art & Music Reports sent home.

January 28th: Half Day, noon dismissal.

February 4th (CPS) and February 8th (TCS): Tentative NAEP Testing for Grades 4 and 8 English Language Arts/Math.

February 9th: Community Forum on Restructuring Efforts, facilitated by Tarrant Institute 5:15 - 6:15pm hosted at the Tunbridge Central School and virtually.

February 9th: First Branch Board Meeting 6:30pm hosted at the Tunbridge Central School and virtually.

February 11th: Half Day, noon dismissal.

February 21st - March 1st: Winter Vacation.

Dear Parents and Guardians,

The return to school this January has been difficult on schools across the state. We know well the strain and stress omicron has put on our families and our community. We are grateful for the way our students and staff continue to adapt but we want to acknowledge how hard this has been.

While these weeks have been trying, we are confident that we will come out of this surge as strong and as connected as we have in past ones. Our attendance rate was 90% these first two weeks. Thank you, parents and guardians, for your work to make that happen.

This week's newsletter is focused on the FBUD Restructuring timeline. Our next one will be back to more photos and dispatches from the classrooms of Chelsea and Tunbridge.

Respectfully,

~ Mark and Michael

Restructuring Timeline

With the much anticipated restructuring of the Chelsea and Tunbridge campuses we welcome the community to join in on the process.

In September we will see the inauguration of the First Branch Unified District Elementary (Tunbridge, K-4) and Middle School (Chelsea, 5-8). We have been in active conversation with our students and staff to hear what matters most to them in their school environment and how their collective, inspiring vision can be articulated in the future of these campuses. This winter we are inviting the wider community to join the conversation.

If you are curious and passionate about the future of our beloved schools, please come to a Community Forum with your questions and your ideas. And as always, our monthly FBUD board meetings are open to all.

January: Launch of the new FBUD website and Facebook.

January - May: Monthly leadership and staff workshops on Restructuring Planning.

January 19th: Community Forum on Restructuring Efforts, all are welcome. 6-7pm at Chelsea School & virtual.

February 9th: Community Forum on Restructuring Efforts, all are welcome. 5:15-6:15pm at Tunbridge School & virtual.

February 9th: FBUD Board meeting; 6:30pm virtual.

February: Introduction of new FBUD principal.

March 9th: FBUD Board meeting; 6:30pm virtual.

April 13th: FBUD Board meeting; 6:30pm virtual.

May 11th: FBUD Board meeting; 6:30pm virtual.

May 20th: 2022-23 Schedule for middle & elementary finalized.

May 27th: 2022-23 Teaching assignments finalized.

June 8th: FBUD Board meeting; 6:30pm virtual.

June: Honoring the Past/ Welcoming the Future Family Night.

June 14th: Anticipated last day of school.

August: Open House to showcase the new campuses.

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