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Transition to Grade 6

Dear Fifth Grade Parents/Guardians,

We are approaching the halfway point of the school year and before you know it, your child will be entering sixth grade!  We are looking forward to having your children join us at TMS and we have planned activities to help both you and your children feel more comfortable with the transition to middle school. Below is an outline of events.

  • 5th Grade Classroom Visits, February 3rd & 4th:  We will be visiting 5th grade classrooms to introduce our TMS curriculum and share our extracurricular opportunities. We will be at Stillman and Mackay on February 3rd and at Maugham and Smith on February 4th.  
  • Wednesday, April 15th, 7:00pm – TMS Parent Orientation: Ms. Paz and I will meet with all current 5th grade parents. This evening is for all "veteran" and "novice" TMS parents as we will discuss the curriculum, programs, and our expectations for next year.  It is the first step in having you become an active member of our TMS community.
  • World Language and Music Choice Information and Form: Students need to make two important choices in preparation for sixth grade:
  1. World Language:  We offer Spanish, French, and Mandarin Chinese. Students will rank their world language preferences. The first choice is not guaranteed.
  2. Whether or not to be a performing musician: We offer band, chorus and orchestra.
    • We will introduce these choices to the students during the classroom visits in February and we will review this with parents during the orientation on April 15th.  Instructions for requesting your student’s choices will be shared with you after the TMS Parent Orientation Meeting.
  • Fifth Grade Student Orientation:  5th Grade students, one school at a time, will visit TMS during the school day later this year. They will see school in action, visit classrooms, and meet important members of our staff.  
  • 6th Grade Meet and Greet - August 20, 2026 - 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Invitations confirming the date and reminders will be emailed to parents over the summer and information will be posted on our website.  All incoming 6th graders will spend one morning touring the building and will have a chance to meet students from other elementary schools in addition to some 8th graders who can help them in September. If your child is unable to attend the Meet and Greet, that won’t be a problem- do not change your vacation plans!  The Meet and Greet can be a fun event for our students, but it is by no means a necessary component for transition into Middle School.  The first few weeks of school are designed to help our sixth graders adjust to their new school and settings.

Be sure to bookmark this page: https://tms.tenaflyschools.org/parents/incoming6  It will be updated with the latest information for your incoming 6th grader.  We look forward to seeing all of you here at the Parent Orientation on April 15th!  

Sincerely,

Patrick Comey, Principal