Torchlighter Times

Welcome to our Townley Torchlighter Family Newsletter.

This is a look at this month including updates, announcements and upcoming events.

News from the Principal, Ms. Clark

We are off to a great start! Thank you families for supporting the community with crossing at crosswalks and staying in your cars during arrival and dismissal.

We have been talking about our routines and setting goals. Students who are new to Townley received a special keychain to hold their spirit sticks. Spirit sticks are one way we celebrate our students' successes. We also celebrate our students who show responsibility, respect, and readiness with Golden Tickets. Students will have goal folders in their classroom to set goals for the year and track growth. I cannot wait to see how we grow this school year!

October is also the time of year for Parent Teacher Conferences. We look forward to connecting with you to conitnue our teammed effort to support your Torchlighter.

Our Mission: At Townley, we ensure that all Torchlighters will learn and grow.

Our Vision: Torchlighters will shine brighter one day at a time.

We value: Relationships, Kindness & Gratitude, Empathy, Perseverance & Growth, Respectfulness, Responsibility, and A Positive Learning Environment

Here are a few important dates and reminders:

School hours are 7:45am - 3:15pm. Cafeteria Doors open at 7:15 for all students; other doors open at 7:30 for student arrival.
Dress Code: Monday- Thursday students wear school uniforms. Fridays are Townley Spirit Days. Students are welcomed to wear Townley t-shirts, other Irving ISD shirts or uniform polos and blue jeans. *No holes in jeans. More information on the student dress code can be located on the district's website. Special dress days will be communicated to families, and if students choose not to participate, the expectation is students are in uniform.
Dismissal Safety Protocols: Students will stay in the building if they are car riders or parent walk ups. You must have a car tag to pick up your child during the dismissal process for car riders and colored parent walk up tag for parent pick-ups. Please remain in your car or at the designated Parent Walk-Up Station. Please refrain from bringing your dog to campus for arrival and dismissal. We want to keep all Torchlighters safe- physically and emotionally.
Safety Drills: While at school, continuing to keep all Torchlighters safe is a priority. We talk about and practice different safety drills including: fire, shelter in place (for bad weather), and lockdown. As a family discuss these drills and create a plan for your home as well.
Early Pick Up: If you are picking up your child from school before 2:30, you will need your ID. Students will not be released after 2:30.
Cell Phones: We’re so proud of our students for doing a great job following the rules, and we truly appreciate your support in helping us maintain this!

Students should not use cell phones or any other electronic devices during the school day, in line with district and campus policies.
All personal devices, including cell phones and smartphones, must be turned off while on campus and kept in their backpack.
If a student is found using their phone during school hours, it will be collected and taken to the front office. A parent or guardian will need to come to the school to pick up the device.
For more detailed information, you can refer to our Student Code of Conduct.

Thank you, families, for allowing us to be a part of your child's educational journey. We cannot wait to see your child #ShineBrightly this school year.

Important Dates:

Tuesday, September 30- Hispanic Heritage Month continues: Torchlighters may dress in Hispanic Heritage attire
Wednesday. October 1- Kicks off Dyslexia Awareness Month; National ride your bike/ walk to school day; Parent Teacher Conference Month begins
Thursday, October 2- Picture Day (Fall pictures taken-free dress day)
Thursday, October 2- School Custodian Day- Thank You, Mr. Santos!
Tuesday, October 7- All Pro Dad, Cafeteria doors open at 6:50 am
Tuesday, October 7- Hispanic Heritage Month concludes: Torchlighters may dress in Hispanic Heritage attire
Wednesday, October 8- Kinder goes to the Planetarium; National Stop Bullying Day
Thursday, October 9- Career Day- more details to come
Friday, October 10- Monday, October 13- Fall Break/ Student and Staff Holiday;
Tuesday, October 14- Progress Report Cards post in HAC
Wednesday, October 15- Hispanic Heritage Month concludes: Torchlighters may dress in Hispanic Heritage attire
Week of October 20- School Bus Safety Week
Thursday, October 23- Literacy Night and PTA Trunk or Treat
Friday, October 24- Student Holiday; Campus Work Day
Week of October 27- Red Ribbon Week, more details to come

Anne Clark

Principal

Kim Rivera

Assistant Principal- Pre-K (Sierra, Conley Johnson), 1st, 3rd, and 5th Grades

Allen Edwards

Assistant Principal- Pre-K (Esparza, Zarate), Kinder, 2nd and 4th Grades

Campus Behavior Coordinator

Welcome Back from Mrs. Rivera!

Welcome back Torchlighters! I'm so excited for the 2025-2026 school year to begin! I loved seeing all the smiles and getting all the hugs on Meet the Teacher night. I know it's going to be an exciting year with all the celebrations we have planned... just to name a few:

Perfect Attendance Parties - where we dance and eat yummy treats!,
Golden Ticket Principal Board - where students place the tickets they earned for excellent behavior to make a Tic-Tac-Toe, then all 12 students get to go to the Prize Closet and pick ANY TOY they want!
Student Celebrations - where every 6 weeks, teachers recognize 5 students who have made gains and show effort in reading, writing, math, science, and "Top Torchlighter Student"(is always Respectful, Responsible, and Ready to Learn.) These students are recognized during lunch and are given backpack Spirit Sticks.

Tips to set your child up for success:

Make sure you are checking your child's HAC(Home Access Center) often to stay informed about your child's grades, attendance, and tardies.
Make appointments after 9:30am so they will not be counted absent, and always bring a doctors note so absences will be excused.
Communicate with your child's teacher often so your child knows you are partners in their education.

Together, we will help your child grow to their fullest potential, build their problem solving skills, and ignite a passion for learning! I look forward to another year where all our Torchlighters will Shine Brightly!

“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” – WB Yeats

Welcome Back from Mr. Edwards!

Welcome back for another year of learning, growing, and excitement. I hope you had a wonderful summer. As we start this new school year, let's start off supporting our students and staff. We have an amazing staff that are excited about seeing and teaching your child this year. Parents please remember that every child needs to be in uniform everyday and need to be at school no later than 7:45 and picked up no later than 3:30. This year the curriculum can also be accessed online to help you better help your child keep up academically. Parents please make sure your child is at school everyday possible. If your child has a fever or truly sick, please follow doctors' orders. Your child attendance is important to his/her learning and growth. Parents please make sure you signed up for Kinvolved for communication purposes and make sure you sign up for HAC so that you can keep up with your child's grades and attendance. Again, welcome to Townley Elementary or welcome back for those of you that were with us last year.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me and I will be more than happy to assist you.

"It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently." —Anthony Robbins

PTA NEWS

Please email if you have any questions, want to volunteer, sponsors, want to donate items to our Townley PTA.

ptatorchlighters@yahoo.com or jvasquez@irvingisd.net

SAVE THE DATE:

October 23rd:PTA MEETING (5:00-5:30pm)

*5th grade Music Performance

-TRUNK OR TREAT VOLUNTEERS - WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR DECORATING THEIR OWN CARS.

-Bring your own table/chairs if needed

-Candy will be provided to you to pass out.

-CANDY DONATIONS CAN BE TURNED IN TO STUDENT'S TEACHER OR FRONT OFFICE.

This is not a commitment of time, it is simply supporting the organization that supports Townley.

ALL MONEY from memberships goes right back to Townley. (teacher appreciation/students clubs, school events)

*ADD STUDENT NAME/TEACHER NAME

PTA NEWS: Join the PTA! : Click Here!

https://txpta.my.salesforce-sites.com/JoinPTA

PTA will be selling our 2025-2026 spirit shirts

every Thursday 1:30-2:10 in the front office.

Students will be able to wear their Townley t-shirt every Friday with jeans.

$15- All Youth sizes

Adult S-XL

$20- (Adult XXL-XXL)

CASH or Zelle!

NEWS FROM YOUR FRONT OFFICE

Students are considered late if they are not in the building at 7:45. Parents will need to come inside and sign their student in. Kids are missing out on valuable class time and activities when they are not present. Be here, everyday, ready and ON TIME!

The first perfect attendance dress day (on time and present every day for the six weeks) was September 29th! We are so proud of the 400+ students who were able to theme dress for the 80s. We GLOW UP for ATTENDANCE! The next time is 11/10. Will your student get to participate?

When your students appointment is early, bring them to school after. With a doctors note they will receive credit for the whole day.
If you need to pick up your student(s) early, please do so before 2:30.
Always have your ID available when requesting entry to the building or picking up a student from the office.
If your student is absent, please call the office or email Faith. A doctor's note is requested for three consecutive absences or any absence after four per semester (IISD Student Handbook pg 36)

Faith Gallaga: tgallaga@irvingisd.net 972-600-6865

Home Access Center (HAC). This is the best way to keep informed with your student's attendance and grades. Progress reports and report cards are only viewable through HAC. Your password was just updated with registration, log in often to keep it active.

Also, please do not "stop" text messages from Townley Staff or your teacher. You will miss out valuable communication.

Please contact the front office for any questions regarding HAC at 972-600-6800.

News from Nurse Brown

It's been a wonderful start to the year! I have a few reminders below:

Please remember to pack your child an extra change of clothes; accidents happen and we want to be as prepared as possible. We'd rather have them and not need them than need them and not have them!

If your child has asthma, please bring an inhaler to me with the original box/label and a spacer if they use one. I also need a medication form; these are available in my office. I am not able to give medications, including inhalers, without the proper labels and forms. If you'd like me to email you a copy so you can send the form with your child to school, please let me know!

If your child is vomiting or has a fever the night before school, please keep them home so they can rest. Students must be fever free without medication for 24 hours before they can return; same with vomiting.

Feel free to email or call with questions or concerns, thanks!

samabrown@irvingisd.net (972) 600-6808

Lunch Menu for October *Subject to change due to availability.

Looking to print the lunch menu? Here are step by step directions. View breakfast and lunch menus at https://www.schoolcafe.com/IRVINGISD.

Townley Counselors

RED RIBBON WEEK OCTOBER 23-31

In October we observed Red Ribbon week, this year will be from October 23 to 31. October has become drug awareness month nationally. Since its beginning in 1985, the Red Ribbon has touched the lives of millions of people around the world. In response to the murder of DEA Agent Enrique Camarena, angered parents and youth in communities across the country began wearing Red Ribbons as a symbol of their commitment to raise awareness of the killing and destruction cause by drugs in America.

What parent should know about Fentanyl?

Fentanyl is a type of medication known as an opioid, like morphine or oxycodone. Technically fentanyl is a synthetic opioid, meaning that it is manufactured in labs rather than from the poppy plant like many traditional opioid pain medications. Fentanyl acts on targets in the brain known as opioid receptors to produce feelings of pain relief as well as other effects in our body. It it extremely potent.

There are many legitimate medical uses of fentanyl, particularly to treat severe pain, typically after surgeries or during cancer treatment. Illegal fentanyl, which can be known by its street names Dance Fever, China Girl, Apache, Tango & Cash, King Ivory and others, can be found in nasal sprays, as a powder, on blotter paper and as pills that are made to look like other prescription opioids.

Typically produced overseas and smuggled into the U.S., drug dealers will add fentanyl to heroin, cocaine and other substances to make a less-expensive drug that still produces a powerful high.

Why is fentanyl dangerous for children and teens?

Fentanyl acts like other opioids when it comes to the brain, interacting with opioid receptors in the central nervous system (the brain and the spinal cord), preventing the brain from receiving pain messages and producing feelings of euphoria. Fentanyl is a short-acting drug, meaning that many will feel a “high” of increased mood quickly, but it will also wear off quickly. Maintaining that “high” will require additional uses, making it highly addictive.

There are many dangerous side effects from opioids. Perhaps the most concerning side effect of all opioids is respiratory depression. This is the side effect that makes an overdose of fentanyl so deadly; the opioids block the brain’s ability to remember to breathe and can quickly lead to death.

The biggest risk for teens misusing fentanyl is the poor quality standards these fentanyl pills are made in; poor quality control leads to variable amounts of fentanyl in each pill. This variability can mean that while one pill may be taken (usually snorted or smoked, but sometimes taken orally) with very little consequence, the next pill could have much more fentanyl and could even be deadly.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were 70,630 overdose deaths in the United States. Opioids — mainly synthetic opioids like fentanyl — are currently the main driver of overdose deaths, making up 70.6% of all drug overdose deaths.

LIBRARY NEWS

October is going to be a fun month in the library! First, we are hosting our annual book-character pumpkin decorating contest! Then, the Scholastic Book Fair is coming to Townley from October 20-23. Please see the flyers above for more information. Both of these events will help our students become even more enthusiastic about books!

Happy Reading,

Ms. Carol Bullman

Instructional Interventionists Info & Tips

Rebecca Rice, Interventionist //

Melissa Hettish, Academic Specialist

Developing Number Sense

Math research says that when our students have number sense it helps them deepen their understanding of numerical principles so they can understand more complex math functions.

What is number sense?

Number sense refers to a person’s ability to work with numbers, understand their quantities, and use them in meaningful ways. It involves understanding the meaning of numbers, performing mental mathematical operations, and making comparisons to understand the world around them. The best way to develop fluency with numbers is to develop number sense and to work with numbers in different ways. It is important for students to not only memorize their math facts (like addition and multiplication), but to do number activities that help them understand what is happening with the numbers.

Here are a couple of activities to try at home to work on number sense:

DIFFERENT WAYS to the SAME ANSWER

If students know that 4+4 adds up to 8, they are likely to always (or often) write this down when asked. But we want our students to be comfortable using different strategies to solve problems.

To help them think critically, you can say, “6+2 also makes up 8. Can you think of other ways to make up 8?”

Have your child roll two dice and add (or multiply) the number to get the answer. Then ask them to think of different numbers to use that will give the same answer. (You could also do this with playing cards and remove the face cards and the ace.)

ROLL A TEN

This activity allows students to develop their number fluency and connect visuals with sums. Start with 10 dice. Roll all 10 dice and set aside all the sets of dice that add up to 10. Roll the remaining dice until all the dice are grouped. You can play this alone or with others. You can play in two different ways: the winner can be the person who only has one dice remaining or the person who groups all of their dice first. This second way might involve breaking up groups of 10 you have already made to make new ones.

Some additional ways to play: