HAWK News: Character in Action + Pizza Days Are Back!

“You will either step forward into growth, or you will step backward into safety.” 

— Abraham Maslow

Hi, TEA Families!

Here are a few important reminders and resources to help keep the school week running smoothly:

A reminder to all drivers that the speed limit on school grounds is 15 mph. With students, families, staff, buses, and vehicles all moving through the property, please slow down and stay alert, especially during arrival and dismissal.

Thank you for your patience as everyone settles into the pickup routine. As a reminder, Lower School dismisses at 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Upper School dismisses at 3:15 p.m. Monday through Thursday and at 3:00 p.m. on Fridays.

During pickup, please follow the direction of TEA staff managing traffic and do not pass waiting vehicles unless a staff member directs you to do so. Upper School families should pull all the way forward into the circle when space is available.

[READ THE FULL PICKUP PROCEDURES]

Smile, Hawks! Picture Day is coming up:

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Lower School Back-to-School Night! For families who would like to revisit the information shared, or who were unable to attend, the presentation slides are available below.

[VIEW LOWER SCHOOL BTSN SLIDES]

Tomorrow night, Upper School parents and caregivers will gather in Building One before following their student’s bell schedule, moving from class to class to meet teachers and learn more about each course.

Upper School families, please bring a laptop! You’ll use it throughout the evening to access your student’s schedule in real time and view course overviews.

Academics, Character, and Adventure are the three pillars of TEA’s program, woven together to help students grow into capable, curious, and compassionate young people. Character is the thread that connects what students learn, how they challenge themselves, and how they show up for one another and the world around them.

Eight traits anchor our character work at TEA: stewardship, advocacy, gratitude, empathy, craftsmanship, collaboration, responsibility, and perseverance.

These words matter because we don't think of character as something students simply have. Character is something they practice.

It shows up when a student takes responsibility for the gear the group needs on fieldwork. When a Crew works through disagreement rather than around it. When a student revises a piece of work because they know it isn't yet their best. When they notice that someone else needs help, care for the places they're exploring, or keep going when the trail or the assignment gets difficult.

Mountaineer Arlene Blum, who led the first American and all-female expedition up Annapurna, came away from her experiences with a simple observation: “Good leaders are good listeners.”

Ariene’s quote captures something important about how these traits work together. Advocacy without empathy can become simply being the loudest voice in the room. Collaboration requires listening. Stewardship requires noticing. Craftsmanship requires the humility to look again. Perseverance requires knowing when to push yourself and when to ask for help.

This is why our character traits aren't confined to a poster on the wall or a lesson taught during Crew. We want students to encounter opportunities to practice them throughout their day, in classrooms, on fieldwork, in Crew, with their peers, and in the choices they make when an adult isn't directing them.

As the year unfolds, try asking your student: Which character trait did you have to practice today? 

Their answer may tell you more about their day than “How was school?”

With excitement for the year ahead,

Jessa “Ms. J”

TEA will be out in the Truckee community at the Tahoe Ability Program Inclusion Fusion 5K at Truckee Regional Park! The all-abilities event includes a 5K, fun run, community celebration, and local organizations sharing resources with families.

Stop by the TEA table to say hello, and consider joining the fun by running, walking, rolling, or cheering on participants! Get more information about the 5k event HERE. 

TEA High School students and parents are invited to get a behind-the-scenes look at the college admissions process at the North Tahoe Area College Admissions Case Study at Truckee High School. TEA’s High School Academic, College and Career Counselor Katy Watts will be there to support our families.

Rather than a traditional college fair, students and parents will step into the role of an admissions committee, working with actual college representatives to review mock applications and decide who is admitted, waitlisted, or denied. The event is open to students in grades 9–12 and their parents, and advance registration is required for each attendee.

Our competitive athletics season (register here) began last week with Cross Country Running. Our small team of student-athletes put in strong efforts on our single-track trails here on campus, running about 2.5 miles each practice.

6th Graders Griffin Hull and Bechler Ehlers raced last Thursday against 106 runners from schools across the region. Impressively 450 student-athletes were in attendance from Truckee, the Basin, Reno and beyond. Both competed hard and represented themselves and TEA extremely well.

Calling All Student-Athletes -We need more runners for our XC team (MS & HS). Currently, less than 10% of our 5th–8th graders are participating, compared to roughly 30% nationally. Please talk with your child about running soon, we’d love for them to join the team, or try it for a day. 

The benefits are real: better fitness and health, improved sleep, more social connection, a competitive outlet, and strong skiing legs for winter.

More participation is needed in these athletics offerings too:

Pricing has been reduced for teams across the board this fall, sign up today HERE. 

Go Hawks!

We are excited to welcome the Chaidez family to TEA! Michael Chaidez is joining the 8th grade class this year, along with his mom, Elda Nunez, and his grandparents, who are an important part of their close-knit family. Michael also has an older brother who remains closely involved in his life, as well as a beloved bunny named Gillie.

The Chaidez family enjoys traveling, exploring new places, spending time outdoors, and creating meaningful memories together. They are looking forward to Michael beginning this new chapter, making new friends, exploring new subjects, and getting involved in school activities and clubs.

Michael is a kind, curious, and creative student who enjoys fishing, bike riding, camping, video games, and expressing himself through art. He is especially passionate about e-bikes and gaming.

Welcome to TEA, Michael and the Chaidez family! We are so glad you’re here!

TAP is excited to announce that Pizza Days are starting soon! This year, families can sign up once for the entire school year rather than registering for each Pizza Day individually.

For a set fee, participating students will receive two slices of pizza, a drink, and a fruit snack on each scheduled Pizza Day. More information including the sign-up link will be shared tomorrow in a separate ParentSquare post.

Pizza will be served at both Lower and Upper School on the following dates: 

Want to help serve pizza to our students? Sign up below to volunteer!

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