Telra Telegram - April 25, 2025
- sharilynstrain
- Apr 25
- 9 min read
Updated: Apr 28
In this issue:
A Note from the Principals
Dear Telra Families,
Our Approach to End-of-Year Testing
We hope you and your family had a joyful and restful spring break. It has been a pleasure welcoming our students back into the building. We truly missed their energy, enthusiasm, and presence. Your children are at the heart of everything we do. They bring meaning, joy, and purpose to our work, and we are deeply grateful that you entrust them to us each day.
As we approach the end of the school year, we would like to share a few thoughts about our approach to testing. At many schools, this season is often marked by increased pressure and anxiety. At Telra, we have been intentional in minimizing that stress by embedding regular, low-stakes assessments throughout the year. By incorporating one meaningful grade each week as part of our instructional model, students have become more familiar and comfortable with assessments, leading to greater confidence in their learning.
Our goal is to normalize testing - not as a source of stress - but as a routine opportunity to reflect on progress. This approach has had a particularly positive impact on our advanced learners, many of whom now approach assessments with composure and self-assurance. We see testing as just one of many checkpoints on the educational journey, and we remain committed to making that journey both enriching and enjoyable for every student.
We encourage you not to place undue emphasis on the tests themselves. Instead, help your children maintain steady routines, and approach each school day with curiosity and joy.
When it comes to end of year celebrations, we host field day on the last day of school at the YMCA as a recognition of all the work students have put in throughout the year. It is a chance for students to spend time with their friends before they part ways for the summer. Especially with our model of mixing grade levels and recognizing that instructional group changes do not happen only during summers, Field Day (which all grades enjoy together) serves as a more appropriate celebration in lieu of moving up ceremonies. When we have graduating seniors in a few years, we will have our first ever graduation ceremony, and we are excited for that milestone!
Have a great weekend!
Principals Ozer and Rearick
τau Secret Donor Challenge
The τau Secret Donor Challenge has one week to go. Thanks to a generous offer from one of our Telra families, for the first 50 new Telra Annual Use Fund donations of $100 or more before May 4th, Our Secret Donor will match $50/donor!
Many new donors have already taken advantage of this match bringing the YTD totals over $55,000!
Transportation Update
We understand that reliable transportation is essential for our students and your family’s daily routine, and we want you to know that our team is working diligently to find solutions.
While we have encountered some unexpected challenges that necessitated a temporary suspension of bus routes, please be assured that resolving this is our top priority. Our Operations and Leadership team is actively reviewing all options and collaborating with potential service providers to reestablish as many routes as possible shortly. We have begun purchasing buses and bringing staff on board to return to service with improved communication and better overall experience in mind.
In the meantime, we are committed to keeping you informed. We are starting our student arrival process at 7:35 AM daily and adjusting the tardy procedure to account for additional car riders in the morning. We encourage you to take advantage of this earlier adjustment. We will provide this accommodation and follow these procedures until bus transportation has been restored. If you have any immediate concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to contact our Operations team at (704)727-2530.
Thank you for your understanding and patience during this time. We truly appreciate your continued trust in Telra Institute, and we are optimistic that we will have positive news to share with you soon.
Arts and Craft Fair - May 1st, 5-7pm
We are excited to hold an Arts and Crafts Fair so our students can showcase their arts and crafts! The event will be held on Thursday, May 1st, from 5-7pm on the first floor of Telra and in our gym. All Telra families are invited to attend and see the amazing Art created by our students and the amazing wares for sale. Students in 4th grade and above are invited to sell their crafts and can sign up - > HERE.
The deadline to sign up is Monday, 4/28.
Important information to note:
The table(s) requested must be decorated by the student.
All arts and crafts that you are planning to sell are subject to approval by Mrs. Hinkle prior to the event.
All arts and crafts made are to be completed outside of school hours.
All supplies to make the arts and crafts must be purchased by the student or student's family.
Plan to stay after school on May 1st to set up your table and be ready to start the event at 5pm.
A parent or guardian should accompany the student at the event and be present for the duration of the event.
We will have the Vita da Pizza food truck and the Local Scoop with their amazing ice cream. Please plan to support these local businesses while you are here.
Parking will be across the street at McKee Elementary and we will run a shuttle back and forth throughout the duration of the event. Please do not attempt to cross the street on foot.
*** We really need help after school each day to hang the artwork. Please sign up to help via this link. *****
Spring Picture Day - 4/29
Our Spring Picture Day is on Tuesday, April 29th. Pictures will be taken of students who have enrolled since our picture day in the Fall and then other students by appointment as reserved online. CKVisuals will photograph multiple poses of each student, so parents will have several great options to choose from! When they register or pre-order online, they'll receive an email the night of picture day with the opportunity to select the pose(s) they like best.
Their photography team is specifically trained to inspire confidence and capture genuine expressions—we don’t take bad pictures!
Parents can reach our team and find out more information about picture day on your dedicated landing page: https://www.ckvisuals.com/telra
5th Grade Movie Night - May 9th, 4-6pm
We are excited to offer our amazing 5th graders a movie night at Telra! Our event is on 5/9 at 4pm and we will be watching The Diary of Anne Frank. The students will stay after school and may bring a blanket or towel to sit on.
Only Telra 5th grade students may attend. Please RSVP for your child via the form here no later than 05/07/2025. If you have more than one 5th grader, please fill out one form for each child.
Photographs of the event may be taken and used for internal Telra purposes (like the Telegram and yearbook) as well as for social media posts. By choosing to attend, you are granting Telra rights to use photographs and or video recordings of your child.
Pickup is at the front of the school no later than 6pm. A bag of chips will be provided, and students are asked to bring their own water bottles.
Camp Wonder @ Telra
Telra is launching summer camps! Designed as an alternative to your typical summer camp, Telra camps combine learning and fun with clear instructional goals and an opportunity to move the needle on student learning in three short weeks.
The camps are open to students from any school, but spaces are limited and Telra students will have priority. (Otherwise, they will be allocated in order of registration, so sign up fast!)
All of our camps...
Focus on the basics: We use evidence-based curriculum with explicit, systematic instruction to help students gain mastery and confidence
Enjoy a high supervision ratio: 1 teacher per 5-7 students
Provide 3 sequenced weeks of instruction
July 14 - Aug 1 (Monday - Friday)
8am - noon
Core camp pricing is $250/week ($750 total, as you must sign up for the entire camp)
Optional add-ons can be purchased for individual weeks:
Lunch bunch (noon - 1pm) - pack your own lunch: $25/week
Afternoon sports & games camp (noon - 4pm): $200/week (includes Lunch bunch)bunch
Three exciting camp options
Please visit our website to register!
Join us for a visit from James Edge for an evening talk about scholarships for college.
Free Money: Scholarships are Easier and Broader Than You Think
Friday May 9th 6-7:30pm
College costs have already more than doubled in the 21st century. Currently, the average in-state student spends nearly $30,000 for all costs associated with one year of a four-year degree at a public institution. These costs are considerably higher for students applying for out-of-state or private colleges. At the moment, the average federal loan total for each student is $38,375, and the average borrower takes more than 20 years to pay off these loans. These statistics are frightening.
Fortunately, there are ways to mitigate these exorbitant costs. In fact, nearly $100 million in scholarships and $2 billion in grants go unclaimed each year simply because candidates fail to apply for them. Essentially, these figures are free money and may only require a small portion of information and some brief essays. Moreover, you do not need a 4.0 GPA, an athletic career, or be a graduating senior for a large portion of these opportunities. There are scholarships for nearly everything.
For this talk, come and learn about the best and easiest ways to reduce academic costs and begin applying to funding opportunities immediately.
May 2025 Field Trips - Chaperones Needed
We need chaperone assistance for our May 2025 Field trips. If you are interested, please fill out the form - here. Each location has a different chaperone requirement so we will select the first volunteers to submit their interest and then put the other names on a wait list. We will communicate all details with you in the weeks before the event.
If you would like to volunteer for more than one grade/ field trip, please submit a form for each grade/ field trip, however priority will be given to those who otherwise wouldn't be able to participate. The schedule is as follows:
Full Day 8:15am-3:30pm
5/6/25 (Tues) JCC Butterfly Project - 7th Grade
5/12/25 (Mon) NC Zoo (Asheboro) - 4th Grade
5/14/25 (Wed) Old Salem Museums & Gardens - 5th Grade
5/15/25 (Thurs) Transportation Museum - 3rd Grade
5/16/25 (Fri) Sullenberger Aviation Museum - 8th and 9th Grades
5/20/25 (Wed) Duke Energy Explorium - 6th Grade
Early Release Days 8:15am-1pm
5/28/25 (Wed) Hall Family Farm - K-2nd Grade
5/30/25 (Fri) Tiger World - K-2nd Grade
Important Information:
You must be a registered volunteer at Telra Institute and have a background check run. If selected as a chaperone, please come to the front desk to initiate the process.
Most field trips will leave Telra as soon as possible after the 8:15am bell is rung. You should arrive no later than 7:40am to park, sign in, and avoid the arrival car line traffic.
Peer Tutoring - New Offering
A select group of 9th graders is offering tutoring sessions on Tuesdays from 3:40-4:45pm. If you are interested in signing up your child, please fill out the form via the link below. If you have more than one child, please fill out a separate form for each child. There are a max of 10 slots per session to start and they can be booked three weeks out.
There will be no peer tutoring on 4/29 due to the Purple Comet Math Meet.
OMB Meet Up - May 3rd, 2pm
Family Council hopes all Telra families will join us for our Spring family meet up on May 3rd at 2pm at the Olde Mecklenberg Brewery in the Ballantyne Bowl. We will meet on the back patio near the kids play area. Please RSVP so we can get a headcount!
Thinking Feet Summer Camp
Thinking Feet is holding Summer Camps next door to Telra Institute at St. Francis UMC. Please see the flyer below for more information, and use the code TELRAXZ10 for a discount.
Fairytale Ball K/1 - Monday, May 19th, 4-5pm
The event last year was such a hit that the teachers advocated for a repeat! Families with K/1 students should put this date on your calendar! We will send out an RSVP in early May.
There are many items needed to make this event a success. Please sign up to bring or order items!
Upcoming social events
Remember to find all this on our Telra Events Calendar.
Tuesday April 29 - Purple Comet Math Meet, 4-5:45pm
Thursday May 1 - Arts & Crafts Fair, 5-7pm
Friday May 9 - 5th Grade Movie Night
Friday May 9 - Edgeucation Talk on Free Money: Scholarships are Easier and Broader Than You Think, 6-7:30pm
Monday May 19 - K/1 Fairytale Ball, 4-5pm
Tuesday June 10th - Field Day volunteer sign ups to come!
We'd love volunteers to help organize these events! Let us know by clicking below.
