TEMS Welcome Back to School
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Hello Timothy Edwards Middle School Families and Students!
I hope you've had a wonderful summer filled with sunshine, relaxation, and time to unwind with the people you care about most. Now that we have made it to mid-August , the energy and excitement surrounding the upcoming 2026–2027 school year are officially building, and we can’t wait to get started.
The middle school years are such a vibrant chapter—a time where students really begin to step into their own, unlock new passions, and form lasting friendships. Here at TEMS, our entire staff is dedicated to walking alongside your child every step of the way, fostering a safe, encouraging space where they feel empowered to take on new challenges and hit their stride.
To help everyone prepare for a seamless transition back to school, please find essential start-of-year details and resources below. You can also count on regular communications from me through ParentSquare to keep you in the loop on all things TEMS throughout the year. Plan on a monthly look-ahead newsletter sent at the last Friday of each month to help plan for the upcoming month.
A Quick Reminder: Don't forget that summer reading is a great way to keep minds sharp before day one! You can check out all the details here.
If there’s anything on your mind as you prepare for the big launch, please feel free to connect with me or anyone on our leadership team—we are always here to help.
Enjoy every last bit of your summer break. We are so eager to fill these halls with student energy once again!
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Please click here to reference the school event's calendar that can be found on ParentSquare. Follow TEMS on Facebook, Twitter, and Threads.
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The 2026-2027 Bell Schedules are linked below. Student team assignments and schedules will be available on PowerSchool on the afternoon of August 14th.
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We ask that you sign into your PowerSchool Parent Portal account to verify contact and emergency contact information in addition to completing the Annual Parent Update forms. The information you are verifying/providing is data that is used for school and district communications, such as ParentSquare. Please verify and complete these forms prior to the first day of school. If you have any questions regarding your PowerSchool Parent Portal account, please contact Donna Vasquez-O’Brien at dvasquez-obrien@swindsor.k12.ct.us.
- Student schedules/team assignments will be available on PowerSchool Parent Portal beginning Friday, August 14th after 4 p.m.
- If you have not done so already, please login to PowerSchool Parent Portal to complete the annual updates :
- 2026 – 2027 Form A – Student Contacts
- 2026 – 2027 Form B – Health Information
- 2026 – 2027Form C – Annual Notices and Acknowledgements
- 2026 – 2027 Form D – Acknowledgement of Completion
- 2026 – 2027 Transportation Information Form (TIF)
Bus stops are identified once all families have completed the TIF. It is extremely important this form is completed to allow for the timely creation of the 2026-2027 bus routes. All student bus information will be posted to your Parent Portal soon. This will include the student(s) bus number, bus stop location, pickup time and drop-off time.
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Please use Lot D for drop-offs and pick-ups. We will have extra staff available to direct vehicles for the first few days. For the safety of our students, please follow the directions of these staff members.
Follow the traffic pattern indicated by the arrows and drop off your child on the outside of the parking lot as indicated by the green line. Multiple cars should drop off students all along the sidewalk in order to keep the flow of traffic moving.
Drivers, please stay inside your vehicle while in the drop off line. If you need to exit your vehicle, there are parking spots available in the center of the lot.
There are almost 1,300 students coming to TEMS every day, and we know that the traffic volume can be heavy! We are proud of the efficiency of the system in place, and we appreciate your patience as new families learn the drop off procedure!
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We are happy to be welcoming families to the grade 6 open house scheduled on September 2nd. The schedule below outlines the planned activities for this evening. Please report to the designated areas following theschedule below, following the rotation of your child's team. The primary audience for open house is adults so your middle schooler does not need to attend. |
We invite families with students in grade 7 and 8 to open house on September 3rd. Parents and guardians should followw teh schedules belowYou will follow your child's core schedule and visit each classroom on their team. You will also have an opportunity to visit the Encore, Club, and Student Support Showcase set up in the TEMS cafeteria and library. The primary audience for open house is adults, so your middle schooler does not need to attend. |
If you need to pick up your child early during the school year it is helpful to call ahead or enter “Early Dismissal” into PowerSchool. You will be asked to show a photo ID to confirm that you are listed as a verified pick-up person. To the extend you can, please avoid early pickups between 2:15-2:40. This is a busy time in our office so any help to come before 2:15 is appreciated. We are grateful for your support of our efforts to maintain a safe school environment. |
This year, we will continue to utilize the Cougars R.O.A.R. schoolwide expectations to support safe and productive educational experiences at TEMS. It is helpful for families to promote these expectations so that we can all enjoy a safe and welcoming school environment.
We aim to support learners in meeting schoolwide expectations by teaching and reinforcing positive behaviors. When students demonstrate behaviors that do not meet expectations, we have a robust student support team that is available to help manage conflict and ensure safety at TEMS. This team includes our Associate Principals, School Counselors, Family Engagement Specialist, Student Behavior Coordinator, School Psychologists and Social Workers. We work with learners to build, maintain, and restore relationships with peers and adults at TEMS.
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Registration for fall athletics (Cross Country, Soccer, and Field Hockey) closes on Tuesday, September 1st at 8:00 am. All athletes must have registered on Parent Portal have an updated physician statement dated after June 1st of 2026 and turned into the main office by this deadline. Athletes cannot tryout without this form on file in the nurses office. Tryout information can be found on the TEMS Athletics webpage. |
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Daily attendance is crucial to the success of our students. Please help us ensure that your child comes to school each day that they are well. Students are considered chronically absent when they miss 10% of the school year for any reason. Students are considered truant when they have 4 or more unexcused absences in a month, or 10 or more in a year. |
South Windsor Public Schools offers insurance for school-issued Chromebooks at a cost. More information will be shared soon. Insurance coverage is for one year and expires August 2027. We encourage 100% participation in the insurance program. The insurance will cover stolen devices with a police report and accidental damage. It will not cover lost devices or malicious acts. More information will be shared before the start of the year via ParentSquare. |
All students at TEMS are issued Chromebooks for use both in and out of school for instructional purposes. Other personal electronic devices, such as cell phones, Apple watches, AirPods, headphones and cameras, may pose a significant distraction to learning and must be turned off and kept out of sight during school hours and activities, except as specifically permitted by instructional staff.
Please help us maintain a safe and productive learning environment by reminding your children about the use of personal devices. We recognize that families depend on cell phones to communicate important information to students, but we also ask that if you need to reach your child during the school day that you call the main office. We will make sure that your child receives necessary messages.
Access to social media sites such as SnapChat, Instagram, and TikTok have had notable negative impacts on our youth. We ask families to help limit access to these platforms and to monitor cell phone usage.
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NEWLY REGISTERED STUDENTS TO THE DISTRICT - We are excited to welcome your student to Timothy Edwards Middle School! To help these students get acquainted with their new environment, TE School Counselors will be conducting building tours as noted below.
- Wednesday, August 19: 9:00-10:00 (NEW 6th GRADERS ONLY)
- Wednesday, August 19: 10:00-11:00 (NEW 7th or 8th GRADERS ONLY)
- Thursday, August 20: 12:00-1:00 (NEW 6th GRADERS ONLY)
- Thursday, August 20: 1:00-2:00 (NEW 7th or 8th GRADERS ONLY)
These tours are only for students new to the district. Our School Counselors will be waiting outside the main building entrance to greet the students, please drop your student off there.
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upcoming events, hear school updates, ask questions, and share ideas. New faces are always welcome, and we encourage you to attend whenever you can. These meetinsg are VIRTUAL and can be accessed using the link listed under Important Links on ParentSquare. Our first meeting is on Thursday, September 17th and the agenda is linked here.
We start the year kicking off our most importnat fundraising campaign, the TEMS Move-A-Thon. Please see the fliers below for more important information.
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The daily TETV Morning News serve as our primary vehicle for communicating important information to students each day. This is where students can learn about upcoming events, tryouts, clubs and activities, and current events. In addition to playing during homeroom each day you can access the daily news on our school website.
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