Costumes are fun. Books are great. Why not combine the two? Book Character Day is a treat for students and staff! On Wednesday, March 2, they can leave their uniforms home and come dressed as a Biblical, historical, or book character. Students should bring three or four clues about their character for a fun guessing game!
Character ideas must be submitted to the classroom teacher for approval by February 16.
While we do not want to be merely “fair-weather” friends, it can be fun to be a friend in fair weather—at a sledding party, for example! Plan to join the family fun and form warm bonds of FRIENDSHIP in the cold snow on January 22.
Wintertime might be hibernation time for some, but it brings our chess boards out of their slumber. Chess Club begins next Friday and will run for four weeks during the last hour of the school day. This is an excellent opportunity for those who know the game well to sharpen their skills and for beginners to learn more! If you have a board at home, we encourage your family to play together too!
Let’s play a guessing game. Who said, “Let your pleasure be your guide”? The ancient philosopher Epicurus? The utilitarian John Stuart Mill? Beyonce? Here’s a clue: The words are from Dante’s Divine Comedy. Surely, you may be thinking, they must be the words of some shade or devil in Hell, designed to lead Dante the pilgrim astray down some hedonistic path. Would you be surprised to know that Dante’s trusted guide Virgil speaks those words to him at the top of Mount Purgatory? Listen to Dr. Brian Williams’ thirteen-minute reflection on Purgatorio, Canto 17 * to find out more about what Dr. Williams calls “sanctified hedonism” and the impact what we read (and watch and listen to) has on our lives. We were made for love. Are our loves becoming properly ordered so that we find pleasure in the right things and in the right way? Or are our loves becoming disordered?
*Even if you have not been reading Dante’s Comedy or listening to the lectures, this is worth a listen! We recommend parents listen first, before sharing with their child, as not all content may be appropriate.
At Trinitas, we celebrate the end of each quarter with a “Color Day”. Please review the guidelines for appropriate Color Day clothes, i.e., non-uniform clothes, if you haven’t already. We hope to avoid a situation where a student must call home for other clothes on that day. Please note that a student may still wear the uniform on a Color Day, but in general, most, if not all, students (and staff) choose to celebrate with different attire.
In addition, this Wednesday, January 19, is a bonus Color Day for students who have not lost any “Oops” coupons during the first half of this year. All other students will still wear the regular school uniform. Teachers will be communicating who is eligible for the bonus Color Day in their classrooms. If parents have questions, they should contact their child’s teacher.
This post contains additional content available to members only. Please log in to view the full post.Reminder for next week: Wednesday, January 26, is our all-school photo and picture retake day. Students should arrive in dress uniform for the all-school photo. Please take a moment to make sure your child’s dress uniform items are ready to go next week!
We are looking forward to our upcoming open house. Please continue sharing the registration link with neighbors and friends as well as the flyers and postcards that went home to families. We ask that you keep this event and our entire marketing season in your prayers. We are blessed by these gatherings as we have the opportunity to tell others about Trinitas and the distinctiveness of Christian classical education. We always hope it is a blessing to our guests as well!
Please also spread the word about our upcoming Parent Information Nights: Wednesday, February 9 (virtual), and Thursday, March 10 (in person).
Per a news release issued by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and a news release issued by the Kent County Health Department, both agencies have adopted the most recent guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding isolation and quarantine for people in the general population who have tested positive or been exposed to coronavirus.
These changes do not apply to K-12 or congregate care settings, both of which should continue to use existing guidelines and policies regarding isolation and quarantine.
We thank families for continuing to monitor symptoms of illness and following best practices for health and hygiene. Testing is still available at our Kent County school testing sites. Below is the link for scheduling with updated clinic times. The clinics are all open for at least 2.5 hours a day Monday through Friday.
We hope our families have been enjoying some good books together as part of our Thoughtful Reader Book Club. Hard copies of discussion questions for group books are being sent home with students in grades 3-8. Links can also be found in the January 7 school newsletter. Parents of students in K-2 are encouraged to read any or all of the Frog and Toad stories by Arnold Lobel with their children and to talk together about them. Students can be encouraged to interact with the stories in fun ways too, e.g., by re-telling the story or making up their own adventures with drawings, Lego, or play-dough.
Please note the discussion guides are meant to help students as they read and to help facilitate discussion when the groups meet to talk about the books. It is recommended that students take a few notes (include page numbers for reference), but the questions will not graded or collected.
