Skip to main content

Thacker Avenue Elementary for International Studies

Every Day is Day One!

Wildcat Weekly - 9/7

Posted Date: 09/07/26 (04:30 PM)
View Original Post


School Logo

Wildcat Weekly

September 7, 2026

Hello Wildcats!

Last week was another great week on campus, and we are looking forward to another great week ahead of us!

This week we will finish PM1 Testing, host our monthly SAC Meeting, and 1st Quarter Progress Reports will be posted. 

Thank you for taking the time to read the weekly newsletter. It is a great way to stay informed about everything happening on campus and receive important updates. Thank you for your partnership!

Follow us on social media 
  • Facebook: ThackerAve
  • Instagram: thackeravenue

Have a great week!

Mrs. Miglionico

Week at a Glance

A colorful flyer titled Wildcat Weekly Updates with sticky notes detailing school events for September.

Campus Safety

Update

On Campus Arrival & Dismissal
  • The parking spaces near the main office will be blocked off during morning arrival and dismissal. 
  • Visitors that need to go to the main office may park in the visitor spots closest to the building. Please use the crosswalk at all times. 
  • Drivers dropping off or picking up students should not park and walk up to the walker gates. All car riders must be dropped off or picked up in the car rider line. 
 

Arrival & Dismissal Procedures

School Hours
Morning Drop-Off/Breakfast: 7:50 am - 8:15 am
First Bell/Report to Class: 8:15 am
Tardy Bell: 8:20 am
Dismissal: 3:15 pm (2:15 pm on Wednesday)
 
Arrival Procedures
Student drop-off begins at 7:50 am. Please do not leave your student unattended in front of any school buildings or gates before this time.

Dismissal Procedures
Changes to dismissal plan must be made before 2 pm (1 pm Wed) to avoid delays and to ensure there is enough time to notify the teacher. Changes can be made through the front office or by leaving a note in your student's communication folder.

Reminder: 
No riding bikes, scooters, etc. on campus. Walk to/from the main gates with these items.

School News & Updates

Attendance Reminders

Daily attendance is critical for a successful school year. Tardies also lead to a loss of learning. When students arrive after 9 am, they can be missing all of their daily reading or math lesson so missing multiple lessons in a week due to tardies can also put a student behind.

Below is a chart with our attendance data for the month of August broken down by grade level. 
Please Note: 
  • 563 Absences were recorded during the first 3 weeks of school
  • 379 of these absences were unexcused
  • Over 20% of our students are already chronically absent
  • 93.45% Average Daily Attendance Rate (95% is the goal)

We understand that there is a stomach virus and cold already going around. If your student is sick, they should stay home and rest. 

However, since 379 out of the 563 absences were unexcused, we do believe that some of these absences could have been avoided. We are already half-way through the quarter and continuing to cover new material so missing school even at the start of the school year can cause your student to fall behind. 

If a student is sick and must miss school, send a note in your student's communication folder so we can excuse the absence. 

Unexcused absences can lead to truancy reporting and/or a loss of Choice Approval.
A table displaying student attendance statistics by grade, including days possible, days present, absent, average daily attendance, and chronic absenteeism percentage.
 

PM1 Testing

We will continue administering the 1st Progress Monitoring (PM1) assessments of the year this  week. If students missed an assessment last week, they will also be scheduled for a make-up test session. 

Student attendance during this testing window is crucial. It is important students are present so we can collect baseline data for the year and see how much they retained from last year.

As always, we will encourage our Wildcats to just do their best. This is a practice test and will allow us to track performance during the year. Please remind your students to take their time and read every question-and-answer choice carefully before moving on to the next question.

See below for the PM1 Testing Schedule.
Thacker Avenue Elementary School's PM1 Testing Schedule from August 31st to September 9th.
 

Progress Reports

1st quarter Progress Reports will be published online in the FOCUS Portal this Friday, September 11th. 

Please review your student's grades and reach out to your student's teacher(s) with any concerns or questions.  
 

SAC Meeting

Please join us for this month's School Advisory Committee on Wednesday, September 9th at 5:45 pm in the Media Center. 

There are several important topics on the agenda this month: 
  • 26-27 School Improvement Plan - the school's plan to continue to increase student achievement
  • Operational Millage Referendum Information Session - an initiative that will appear on the Osceola County Voter's Ballot in November that effects property taxes
A colorful school flyer announcing a School Advisory Council meeting at TAES Media Center on Wednesday, September 9th at 5:45 PM, decorated with school supplies.
 
A cartoon wildcat mascot waves from a hot air balloon basket, with text 'WILDCATS ROARING TO NEW HEIGHTS'.

Spirit Shirts

Order Today
Spirit shirts can be purchased and picked up in the front office.

Or purchase online through the QR Code above or link below and we will deliver it to your student!

Cost is $10 (electronic payments only)

Spirit Shirt Online Order Form:
 

Student Information Packets

Please complete and return the forms from the Back-to-School Student Packets to your student's homeroom teacher ASAP to ensure we have any updates, permissions, and/or requests needed for your student.

There is also information you should review in the packets to stay informed about all school and district-wide policies and resources.

Community & District News

School Volunteer Application

Don't forget to fill out the OASIS Volunteer Application if you would like to volunteer on campus, attend field trips, or assist with campus events.



Note:
-All previous volunteers must complete a new application. There is not a renewal option this year.
-School district employees do not need to complete a volunteer application to volunteer in SODC schools.

Upcoming Events & Reminders

College & Career Week

Later this month we will be celebrating the SDOC annual College and Career Week. Please see below for the daily themes. 

Students are encouraged to dress up and participate in the daily themes. Students that participate are eligible for school and district prizes and Cat Cash. The grade level with the greatest participation will also receive House Points! 

Students will also complete activities to learn more about the daily topics. 
A solid blue graphic featuring the bold white text 'COLLEGE AND CAREER WEEK 2026'.
A promotional flyer for Osceola School District's College and Career Week 2026, outlining daily themes from September 28 to October 2.
 

Fall Picture Day

Photographers will be on campus on Wednesday, September 23rd to take our Wildcats Fall Pictures. See below for the online order form. 


Note: 
  • Fall pictures are printed on student IDs and published in the yearbook
  • Students need to be in dress code to participate
Fall Picture Day flyer featuring a framed portrait of a smiling child and autumnal decorations.
A promotional flyer for ordering school pictures from Thacker Avenue Elementary for International Studies, featuring a QR code and instructions in English and Spanish.
 

Upcoming Dates

  • September 23rd: Fall Picture Day
  • September 25th: PD Day - No School
  • September 28th: College & Career Week
  • October 9th: Quarter 1 Ends
 

Contact info

If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us. You can reach out via the following:
  • Phone: (407) 935-3540
  • Text: ParentSquare App
  • Website Chat Link: https://taes.osceolaschools.net
  • Facebook: ThackerAve
  • Instagram: thackeravenue