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Teller Elementary School

TELLER COMPASSION PROJECT

09/09/24, 8:48 AM

TELLER COMPASSION PROJECT

Welcoming Newcomer Students & Families

Staff Sponsors: Ms. Rosie (Library) & Ms. Mazooji (ELD & Intervention)

Parent/Guardian Volunteers: Harmony Johnson

Proposed by 5th Grader Imogen J

The Teller Compassion Project inaugural topic area is Welcoming Newcomer Students & Families. This topic was proposed by a Teller 5th grade student and aims to support students’ learning about the experiences of refugees and immigrants. Students will aim to build awareness about how to best welcome and support Newcomer Students and Families that are part of our Teller Community.

What is meant by the term ‘Newcomer’?

Newcomer is used as an umbrella term for students born outside the United States who have recently arrived and are new to the country.

There are two ways that you and/or your student can get involved now!

# 1: Third through fifth grade students can apply to join the Welcoming Newcomer Student & Families Student Leadership Team and/or the Student Action Group by filling out this Google Form: Link

If your student would like help completing the form, please reach out to Ms. Rosie at bridget_rosenberg@dpsk12.net. She is happy to help!

Our leadership team will be made up of 10 students; Ms. Rosie and Mr. Smartt will determine which students are selected if more than 10 students apply. Students who are not able to participate on the Leadership Team are invited to join the Student Action Group. All students will work together to advance the learning activities related to Welcoming Newcomer Students and Families.

Note for Parents/Guardians:

- - The Student Leadership Team will meet the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month from 2:45pm-3:30pm, starting in October.
  - The Student Action Group will meet the 3rd Wednesday of the month: 2:45pm- 3:30pm, starting in October.

#2: Sign your family up to join the Teller Partner Family Program!

The Welcoming Newcomer Students & Families group plans to pair newcomer Teller families with existing Teller families. The hope is that this connection will help our newcomer students and their families feel informed and welcomed to Teller events throughout the school year.

By becoming a Teller Partner Family, you’ll help ensure that our newcomer Teller families:

- - are aware of school events.
  - have another family to join at school events so they feel more comfortable attending.
  - feel comfortable, confident, and empowered to become engaged in the Teller community.

We are confident that these relationships will enrich the lives of all families involved in the program.

If you’re interested in being paired with a newcomer family, please fill out THIS GOOGLE FORM. Teller staff will reach out to newcomer families to offer the opportunity to be matched with a Teller Partner Family.

Once a match has been made, sponsors and members of the Welcoming Newcomer & Families group will reach out to you to join an orientation meeting about the Teller Partner Family Program and to connect you with your newcomer family.

If you aren’t matched this time around, please know that new families enroll throughout the year and there will be more opportunities to be matched!

Please note that speaking a second language is not required, but it can be helpful. Partner Families will be able to use apps and other tools to help with communicating.

Our newcomer student population consists of students with the following primary languages: Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Dari/Farsi/Persian, Kunama/Tigrinya, Kinyarwanda, Mandarin.

If you have any questions, please contact Bridget Rosenberg (Ms. Rosie) at bridget_rosenberg@dpsk12.net.