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In the News

2023

News List

  • December

    College Advising Update

    Sarah Kramer
    December greetings from the college advising office! Below are a few updates for your family.
     
    Summer 2024 
    Many students in grades 9-11 have started to ask about how they should spend their summers. Multiple options abound, so we wanted to share some ideas with you.

    1. Volunteer in your community - this is an opportunity to spend some time in your own “backyard” and serve others.

    2. Get a part-time job - if it works with your family schedule and obligations, being accountable to someone other than Mom or Dad is an excellent way to demonstrate initiative and independence. 

    3. Rest - sometimes the best thing we can do is recharge our batteries. You know your child, and if relaxation and vacation is the antidote to a tough year, there is always a benefit in unscheduled time.

    4. Take a class or enroll in a summer program - there are options to study on college campuses in the U.S. or abroad as well as online/virtual courses that students can take. Interested in something not offered in your Upper School curriculum? Explore it this summer.

      The college advising office has a list of summer programs on college campuses for students and families interested in this possibility. Keep in mind that some require an application (including a teacher or counselor recommendation and a transcript), a minimum age (e.g. rising seniors), and/or high cost, especially if the program includes room and board.

    Why are we telling you this in December? Planning begins now for some of the options above. Please let us know if you have questions.

    Class of 2024
    Next week, several members of the Class of 2024 will receive decisions on their college applications, particularly if they applied under an early decision, restricted early action, or early action plan. In a perfect world, every student will be admitted to their first-choice college. In the real world, we will see a mix of celebration and disappointment. 

    Please remind your children that what a college decides about them is not a success or failure on their part. Colleges are shaping a class, and even our students who did everything right might not get the response they are anticipating. We have trust in this process and believe students will find their perfect fit between now and May 1, and we stand ready to help them through the ups and downs of December.    

    Reminder: if you are applying for financial assistance, the CSS Profile – required by many private colleges and universities – is already open for submissions. The FAFSA is slated to open on or before December 31. Each college where your child applies will outline its financial aid process on its website. You will also be able to find a Net Price Calculator, which will outline the anticipated cost of attendance for your family. 

    Class of 2025
    Work with juniors began last Tuesday with an overview of the college admission process and continued this week. By the end of this week, all juniors were scheduled for a 15-minute, one-on-one college advising appointment. On Thursday, they received Cialfo training. Cialfo is the software used in the college advising office, and it will be helpful to our students from now through May 2025 when they graduate from Trinity School. 

    Thank you to the parents who attended Junior Parent Night on Thursday, December 7. We provided an overview of the college search, application and decision process. If you missed the presentation and would like a copy of the slide deck, please email Sarah Kramer. Parents will be asked to complete a questionnaire to help Mrs. Kramer get to know their child and family even better. We appreciate your insight into your son or daughter and look forward to learning more about your children through your eyes.
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  • Athletics Update 12.6.23

    Fall sports All State Academic teams have been announced. Please congratulate these Student-Athletes when you see them.

    Volleyball: Madison Alworth '24, Brooklyn Pearson '25, Lauren Blaylock '25 and GiGi Molina '25 
    Cross Country: Miguel Monterio Pereira 
    Football: Jude Varner '25, Lincoln Lewis '25 and Hans Mauritsen '24

    SSR Jackets will be at Trinity on Wednesday, Dec 13 from 12:15 to 1:00 for all your letter jacket orders. Please stop by Coach McCarthy's office to pick up a packet before Wednesday.
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  • Middle School Dress Up Days

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  • Make a Noise About Bullying

    Khrystal Garcia

    October was Bullying Awareness Month. Bullying has devastating effects on children and families such as school avoidance, loss of self-esteem, increased anxiety, and depression. It is important to note that bullying is not just another term for unkind behavior and should not be used as such. Bullying is defined as deliberate and aggressive behavior, either physical or verbal, that is intended to cause harm or distress to another person. Bullying involves a power imbalance where the bully seeks to control or intimidate the victim. Bullying can take various forms, including physical, verbal, social, and online. 

    A few things you can look out for to determine if your child is being bullied are behavioral changes, physical marks on them or damage to their belongings, increased anxiety, depression or social withdrawal, frequently losing personal belongings, suddenly avoiding school or a sudden and noticeable change in their friend group or isolation from peers. 

    Should you see any of these signs from your child or feel you need guidance with determining if bullying is occurring, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Dean of Students, Todd Freese at tfreese@trinitymidland.org or the Head of Middle School, Chrystal Myers at cmyers@trinitymidland.org
    Read More
  • November

    Report Cards

    Dear Families, 
     
    Our first trimester's report card will open for you to view on Friday, December 1st.  In Lower School, report cards consist of two parts: descriptors for the various content areas (marked by each teacher as developing, meeting, extending, or not applicable) and written comments.  
     
    The indicators describe how a student is doing on a particular skill.  Developing (D) means the student is still working towards meeting the grade level expectation of that skill.  In other words, there is still work to be done in order to master this skill.    Meeting (M) means that the student is meeting the grade level expectations for that skill.  Extending (Ex) means the student has not only mastered, but is extending their learning beyond this skill.  Not applicable (N/A) means that the skill has not been introduced and/or assessed during that trimester. 
     
    In fourth grade, students receive letter grades for the first time.  This year in addition to a report card with letter grades, students will receive a narrative report card with descriptors and written comments.  
     
    If you have any questions about your child's report card, I encourage you to reach out to their teacher.  These can be a great springboard for conversations.  Thank you for sharing your children with us and for partnering with us in this important work.  
     
    Best,
    Carrie 


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  • Upper School Mathematics Update

    Carly Vollet
    At the end of October, the majority of the Upper School Mathematics faculty, along with the Middle School mathematics faculty, and our 4th grade math faculty, attended a National Council of Teachers of Mathematics conference in Washington, D.C. We are all so thankful to Trinity School of Midland for its support of our professional development.  The NCTM National Meeting and Exposition was a great opportunity for us to connect with each other, hear presentations from mathematics educators, and visit with exhibitors and publishers. For those of us who love math, it was a great opportunity to be surrounded by other math nerds and passionate educators.

    One of the most impactful sessions for me was titled “Technology That Thinks with You, Not for You” and was presented by Eli Luberoff, the CEO of Desmos. He talked about the computer as “a bicycle for the mind.” It should not do all of the work for you, but it should (with your work) allow you to get there faster. I have seen technology grow over my years of learning and teaching and have come to appreciate it as a tool to further understanding. Graphing calculators and online calculators such as Desmos, Wolframalpha, and Mathematica have grown to be more prominent and powerful. 

    Desmos is one such online calculator/app that is intuitive to use and very powerful. They are also a leader in making graphing calculators accessible to students with visual impairments.  When the PSAT moved to an online platform, they embedded Desmos as the default calculator. Many of our students commented on how much easier the PSAT was with Desmos compared to their hand held calculator. Desmos is easy to use, but it certainly doesn’t solve the problems for you. Just like any computer, you have to provide quality information and inputs (you may have heard the saying “Garbage In, Garbage Out”). Desmos as a tool will not help a student perform better on the PSAT if they don’t understand what they are doing and why. We still need our students to have underlying skills and base knowledge to use technology to its full potential. There is a certain knowledge and vocabulary that we need to have accessible without technology. This is why you will often hear that our math tests contain a non-calculator portion (to test basic knowledge, reasoning, and information that we expect to be memorized) and a calculator portion (which usually contains more complex problems that require approximations). 

    It is time to embrace the technology and use it like a bicycle. We will still have to work to understand, but hopefully the technology will allow us to understand faster. We will still be in our classrooms working with pencil and paper the old fashioned way. But every once in a while, we will have our laptops out to explore graphs. In 10 minutes with a computer, I can elicit more “aha” moments than we would get in an hour graphing by hand. I’ll leave you with a fun example of how Desmos can be used to “hear” the shape of a graph. Follow the instructions on the first line once you are on the link and happy listening!
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  • BIGG Project Toy Drive

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  • Make a Noise About Bullying

    Khrystal Garcia

    October was Bullying Awareness Month. Bullying has devastating effects on children and families such as school avoidance, loss of self-esteem, increased anxiety, and depression. It is important to note that bullying is not just another term for unkind behavior and should not be used as such. Bullying is defined as deliberate and aggressive behavior, either physical or verbal, that is intended to cause harm or distress to another person. Bullying involves a power imbalance where the bully seeks to control or intimidate the victim. Bullying can take various forms, including physical, verbal, social, and online. 

    A few things you can look out for to determine if your child is being bullied are behavioral changes, physical marks on them or damage to their belongings, increased anxiety, depression or social withdrawal, frequently losing personal belongings, suddenly avoiding school or a sudden and noticeable change in their friend group or isolation from peers. 

    Should you see any of these signs from your child or feel you need guidance with determining if bullying is occurring, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Dean of Students, Todd Freese at tfreese@trinitymidland.org or the Head of Upper School, Tim Jones at tjones@trinitymidland.org
    Read More
  • Preschool Newsletter 11.6.23

    Click here to expand the newsletter
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  • Dress Code Reminder

    Parents,

    It is mid-November, and many of our girls have had a growth spurt making their skirts super short! Please take some time to check your daughter's skirt length and either place an order with Mills or shop in the used uniform closet on Campus.  

    Please feel free to reach out should you have any questions or concerns. 


    Thanks,
    Chrystal 
    Read More
  • Middle School Exams

    Parents,

    Please take note of the following:
    • The first exam begins at 9:00 a.m. for regular time, 8:45 a.m. for extended time, and 8:00 a.m. for double time testers. Please make sure your child(ren) arrives on campus at the appointed time. 
      • Students reporting at the time of assessment should report to their testing room. 
      • If you need to drop off at 7:45 a.m., please ask your child to report to the Commons until it is time for them to report to the testing room.
    • The last exam ends at 10:30 or 11:00 on Thursday. Students should be picked up at that time.
    • Only students who need to take a makeup exam should report to school on Friday. 

    • In-between assessment options
      •  Your child may be picked up at Wadley (near the front entrance) and go home until the afternoon assessment, or they may stay on campus and attend study hall in the Student Center.
      • If your child is going home with a friend or walking home, please send Mrs. Myers or Mr. Freese an email informing them of your child's plan. 
      • Lunch will be served in the Commons for those who stay on campus.

    • Dress for Exams: Appropriate Casual Dress 
      • No leggings
      • No short shorts/skirts
      • No PJs or house shoes/slides
      • No ripped jeans
      • No hoodies

        November  2023 Middle School (7th - 8th Grade) Trimester One Exam Schedule
                         
        Monday
        November 13
        Tuesday
        November 14
        Wednesday
        November 15
        Thursday
        November 16
        Friday
        November 17
        Supervision 7:45-8:55 in Commons
        Math/History
        English/Science
        Languages
        N/A

        9:00-10:30
        1.5 Ext Time
        8:45-11:00
        2.o Ext time
        8:00-11:00
        8:00-4:00 
        Regular ‘C’ Day
        ENGLISH
        MATH
                  HISTORY
        ELECTIVES & CONFLICTS
        Break
        Break
        Break

        1:00-2:30

        1.5 Ext Time
        1:00-3:15
        2.0 Ext time
        1:00-4:00
        SCIENCE
        WORLD LANGUAGE
        ELECTIVES & CONFLICTS
        EarlyDismissal
        for Thanksgiving Holiday
            
        • Exams=20% of Trimester grade
        • Students must remain in the testing room for the entire examination period
        • Dress for Exams: Appropriate Casual Dress- 
          • No leggings
          • No short shorts/skirts
          • No PJs or house shoes/slides
        • No electronic devices may be used in the testing rooms unless approved by the teacher.
        • Students should bring a HEALTHY snack and water to have between exams
        • Students do not have to be on campus when they do not have an exam; however, if they stay, they MUST attend study hall.
        • Teachers are available for tutoring by appointment only
        • Dead days are November 10 & 13- C days  
          •  November 9th is the last day of teaching or the due date for assignments/projects.
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  • Thrivers: Self Control, Integrity and Curiosity

    Dear Families,

    In Chapel, we are continuing to talk about the characteristics of thrivers. During August and September, we spoke about self confidence and empathy, which help thrivers have a nurturing heart. October, November, and December’s topics are characteristics that help develop the mind: self control, integrity, and curiosity.  

    As we discussed self control in October, we shared the acronym ACT with children. ACT stands for:
    A - Assess the stress, and ask yourself, “Why am I feeling this way?”
    C - Calm yourself, take a deep breath, count to ten, or take a little walk.
    T - Talk positively to yourself by saying, “I got this!” or “I can do this.”

    This week we will be discussing integrity.  The Trinity Honor Code says, “Because I believe integrity is essential, I promise not to lie, cheat or steal.”  We will talk about people who model integrity and read about what it means to do the right thing (even when no one is watching!).  

    Discussing these at the dinner table is a great way to reinforce these characteristics.  Have the children share about a time during the day when they exercised self control.  Talk with them about people that you know who model integrity or who have done the right thing, even when it may have been a hard thing.  

    Thank you for allowing us to partner with you in this important work! 

    Best,
    Carrie
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  • Upper School Update 11.7.23

    Upper School Families,

    It is hard to believe that the First Trimester is already winding down. Starting today we are reviewing for our exams, and a week from now we will be closing the book on the first third of the school year. As we prepare for Thanksgiving, I wanted to share some of the things that I am especially thankful for this year. 

    Ambitious Teaching and Learning:
    We have accomplished a great many things since the beginning of the school year and have much to be proud of so far. It all starts with the ambitious teaching and learning that occurs in our classrooms each day. Having spent time in each classroom since the beginning of the school year, I am well pleased with the level of student engagement that I see, the quality of instruction and pedagogical approaches that occur in our classrooms, and the high quality of student work that is consistently produced. 

    Educating the Whole Child and Providing Student Choice:
    I am encouraged by the adaptations we have made this year to our advisory and club programs and am excited to see those continue to improve.  as the level of engagement and agency increase by the nature of the offerings and programming. Our advisories have heard from guest presenters, focused on social and emotional learning, introduced lessons designed to strengthen community and belonging, and discovered opportunities to partner with the greater Midland community to make a lasting impact.

    Achievement Beyond the Classroom:
    Of course, our time is not only spent in the DeCompeigne and in academic classrooms. Our students have performed well in the fine arts and athletics. In fine arts our students have excelled in competitions and in their fall performances. These achievements and opportunities will only increase as the school year continues. Our athletic teams have done well this fall, qualifying for the playoffs in Volleyball and Football. Our students have received honors and awards for their performances, including an All-State qualifier in Cross Country, and many All-District recognitions in Volleyball and Football. Winter athletics are already off to a great start.
    We’ve also successfully navigated the PSAT administration, Homecoming week with all the associated extra festivities, a college fair, and monthly socials. 

    Navigating Challenges:
    The year has not been without challenges, but I am thankful to be part of a resilient community that faces them head on. Every challenge presents an opportunity for growth. This is an important trait for us to model to our students as they prepare for the world beyond Trinity School. 

    The Ability to Be Creative and Lean Into Our Independence:
    We are always looking ahead to identify ways to grow and improve. During the second and third trimesters, we have plans to trim our club time to once weekly, allowing dedicated study halls for Grades 9 & 10 and time for our Seek and Find small-group ideation to occur in Grade 11. Supporting their developmental preparation for college, students in Grades 12 will begin earning additional discretionary time as long as they are in good behavioral, attendance and academic standing. We are also spending time evaluating our course offerings and discipline tracks and will be shaping what opportunities exist for 2024-2025 and beyond.

    Supportive Families:
    Thank you for supporting the work that we do here on campus, for partnering with us in encouraging your children, and for helping us hold them accountable to our community’s expectations. We are blessed by these students. They work hard, are generally happy, and support each other along the way. Our students make the work that we do fun and meaningful. Their approach to learning begins at home; thank you for instilling those values in your children and thank you for sharing them with us.


    With Gratitude,

    Timothy A. Jones, M.Ed.
    Head of the Upper School
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  • Wednesday Dress Reminder

    Please remember that boys should wear grey flannel uniform pants on Wednesdays from November 1st through Spring Break. To see the full uniform guidelines please click here.
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  • The Charger Times, November 6th

    To read the full edition of The Charger Times, Click Here
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  • 8th Grade BIGG Toy Drive

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  • College Advising Update

    Sarah Kramer
    PSAT Scores 
    Students in grades 9-11 should receive access to their PSAT scores on Tuesday, November 7. College Board has a wealth of information about scores online and you are welcome to call or email Sarah Kramer with any follow-up questions. 

    Bluebook, which our students downloaded to take the exam, will also be a great resource for your family. It includes full-length practice exams, preparation timelines, and other ideas to help students get ready for the SAT.

    Class of 2024
    The 25 seniors in the Class of 2024 are making excellent progress on their college applications: 96% have applied to one or more colleges, 52% have one or more college acceptances, and 24% have already decided where they will attend next fall. Congratulations to our future Charger alumni on a successful fall semester. 

    Parents, if you are applying for financial assistance, the CSS Profile – required by many private colleges and universities – is already open for submissions. The FAFSA is slated to open in December. Each college where your child applies will outline its financial aid process on its website. You will also be able to find a Net Price Calculator, which will outline the anticipated cost of attendance for your family. 

    Class of 2025
    Though fall is a senior-intensive time in our college advising office, work with juniors begins in earnest this December. During the week of December 4-8, seniors will have a brief college meeting and an advisory training in Cialfo (the software we use in the college advising office). Last week, they were invited to complete a survey about themselves (and their ideal college environment). We will also be asking parents to complete a survey about their children. Completion of both surveys will help make our junior family conferences (January 2024) even more productive.

    Parents, you are invited to Junior Parent Night on Thursday, December 7 at 6:30 p.m. We will provide an overview of the college search, application and decision process.

    Class of 2026
    Sophomores take their college trip March 5-8 (more details to follow). The intent of the trip is two-fold; first, we model for our students how to tour a school (e.g. questions to ask, things to observe, etc.); second, we show them different types of institutions (e.g. public, private, large, small, etc.). We look forward to working with your children and preparing them for college tours your families may take in the coming years. 

    Save the Date - Grades 9-11
    Our freshmen, sophomores and juniors will have the opportunity to attend a college fair on campus March 26 as part of the DARN West Texas swing. Dallas/Fort Worth Admissions Regional Network (DARN) is a community of regionally-based admissions professionals living in Dallas/Fort Worth representing non-profit academic institutions across the United States. 

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  • October

    Athletics Update 10.26.23

    The Volleyball team finished the year at 24-11 and 9-5 in district play to earn a 3rd seed again this year. Great job ladies!! They will be playing their area playoff game at Lucas Christian in Lucas, Texas on Tuesday, October 31st at 5:00 pm. The game will be live streamed. As soon as the link becomes available we will put it on the webpage. Here is the ticket link if you are interested in going to the game.


    The Cross Country team will be competing in the TAPPS State Meet on Monday, October 30th in Waco. Good Luck Chargers!!

    The football team is in the middle of a playoff run. They play in Keller against Harvest Christian tonight, Friday October 27th at 6:00 pm and then at the Highlands in Irving next Friday, November 3rd at 7:00 pm. Playoff berth is on the line in the final two games.



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  • Fine Arts at Trinity School

    Paige Gates
    We are continually amazed at the dedication, hard work, and innovative endeavors of our Fine Arts students at Trinity School.

    Under the new Choir and Theater Director, Chris Vaught, the choir has created a unique sense of community and ensemble that cannot be experienced elsewhere. The Choral students are developing vocal skills, musical skills, and even social skills. This learning environment will prepare students for their upcoming concerts, stage productions, and services of worship in which the students will participate throughout the school year. 
     
    The extremely ambitious Upper School band has been playing at pep rallies, football games, and competitions. In every event, the band students perform with pride and excellence as they showcase their musical skills. In September, the Trinity Band had seven students audition for the ATSSB all-region jazz band.  Five students made the band and three earned the competition's first chair. These students will participate in the all-region jazz band clinic and concert in January at Angelo State University. 
    Congratulations to:
    • Joanna Thomas - 2nd chair Tenor Saxophone Jazz Band 2
    • Shine Yang - 1st chair Trumpet Jazz Band 1
    • Andrew Martin - 2nd chair Trumpet Jazz Band 2
    • Bennett Cooper - 1st chair Guitar Jazz Band 1
    • Richard Black - 1st chair Piano Jazz Band 1
     
    The Upper School Band also gave joyful concerts for the students at Bynum School and for our Trinity preschoolers on the Prairie.  Because both of these concerts are so loved by their audiences, they have become annual events.

    The Visual Arts students have been creating impressive and innovative artwork. Advanced Ceramics and Sculpture students are working on projects inspired by The First Fire Exhibition at the Archie Bray Foundation, which featured the artwork of five Indigenous ceramic artists. Some Drawing and Painting students competed in the 2023 Midland Fire Department Poster Contest. Our Upper School won the top honors with Modesta Welborn winning 2nd place and Camille Dinger winning Firefighters Choice Award.
    After learning many skills with Adobe Suites software, Digital Art and Photography students are using their creativity to design a pair of shoes to welcome the author of Pete the Cat books, Eric Litwin.
    Inspired by our 2023-24 school theme “Let Your Light Shine”, one group of Drawing and Painting students created a collaborative sunrise drawing and the craft makers class is making moon lanterns for the chapel. We will continue to see this theme interpreted in many creative ways throughout the year.

    The Fine Arts faculty will continue nurturing and promoting the artistic growth of our students and providing them with the opportunity to excel in their chosen artistic endeavors. We look forward to a year filled with creativity, inspiration, and outstanding achievements from our students.


    Upcoming performances:


    Performance
    Date
    Time
    Place
    Band Fall Concert
    Nov 2, 2023
    6:30 pm
    Commons
    Choir Fall Concert
    Nov 8, 2023
    6:00 pm
    Commons
    Band Christmas Concert
    Dec 14, 2023
    6:30 pm
    Commons
    Lessons and Carols
    Band and Choir 
    Dec 20, 2023
    11:00 am
    Beal Gym


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  • The Charger Times, October 23

    Click here to read the full edition of The Charger Times
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  • Homecoming and Senior Night Schedule

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  • Tennis Apparel Store Will Close October 26th

    The Tennis Store is now open and will close on Thursday, October 26th. Most of the required items are for US tennis players. For Middle School, boys need black shorts and a blue or white shirt, and girls need a black skirt and a white tank or the white shirt (youth or adult size). If you already purchased these Middle School items this past summer, please do not feel obligated to buy apparel again. However, a long sleeve shirt or 1/4 zip (sweat)shirt is encouraged in case the weather is colder when playing. Please click the link to shop: https://bsnteamsports.com/shop/TCHARTN24
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  • Art Moment 10.10.23

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  • Preschool Newsletter 10.13.23

    Click here to read
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  • Preschool Newsletter 10.6.23

    Click "Preschool Newsletter 10.6.23" above to read page 2
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  • Pete the Cat Art

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  • The Charger Times, October 10

    Click Here to read the full edition of The Charger Times
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  • Halloween Guidelines

    Halloween Guidelines 
    In keeping with the “spirit” of family-friendly fun and acknowledging that Trinity School serves children from birth to grade 12, students in all divisions are asked to adhere to the following common standards for Halloween costumes. 

    • Students may wear costumes to school on October 31
    • Be creative, unique, and have fun
    • Students may wear appropriate face paint/makeup to enhance the costume
      • As long as it is not gory or scary
    • Masks will not be permitted
    • Costumes should be in line with the general guidelines of the daily dress code 
      • Short shorts and skirts, as well as leggings, are not permitted
    • The costume must allow students to participate in PE, including shoes
    • Costumes should be birth - Grade 12 audience-appropriate, not gory or alarming in any way
    • Students may not dress as political figures
    • Students may not bring anything representative of a weapon
    • Students should feel free to bring a change of clothes (uniform) if there is a possibility the costume may become too cumbersome
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  • Preschool Newsletter 9.29.23

    Click "Preschool Newsletter 9.29.23" above to read page 2
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  • Game Day this Friday, October 6

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  • The US Tennis Chargers competed mightily yesterday and placed 3rd after a long day of team tennis. Congrats to all! 

    Janneke Garos
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  • Homecoming Guidelines

    Please remember that we reserve the tradition of wearing mums (corsage) and garters to school for our Upper School Students only. Preschool, Lower, and Middle School students should not wear mums or garters to school. If they do so, they will be asked to take them off.

    Please remember that students may dress in theme for Homecoming Week or wear their school uniform. If your child decides to dress in theme, please remember to follow our dress down day guidelines. 

    Attire on “Free Dress” Days:  On designated “free dress” days, students may wear casual, out-of-uniform attire that is school appropriate. To ensure that the learning environment is preserved, we ask that students follow good judgment and avoid wearing distracting or immodest clothes.  Clothes must be in good repair and provide appropriate coverage with regard to length and fit.  

     Specifically, students may not wear the following: 
    • Tops that reveal the shoulders or midriff 
    • Shorts and skirts that do not reach fingertip length 
    • Leggings 
      • May be worn under shorts or skirts that meet the length requirement
    • Pajamas or slippers 
    • Slides, flipflops, or Crocs 
    • Clothing that depicts violence, drugs, sex, alcohol, or any type of offensive symbols or political   language 
    • Athletic wear, including sweatpants, gym shorts, hoodies, and basketball shorts
     



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  • PSAT, October 11th

    We will be administering the Digital PSAT on October 11th. This is our first digital administration of this test so this is new for all of us. The College Board claims that this test is easier to take, shorter, has more time per question, and comes with a built-in calculator. For Juniors, the PSAT will serve as a qualifier for the National Merit Scholarship Program for 11th grade students and   serves as practice for 10th and 9th. The 9th grade test is different from the test that the 10th and 11th graders will take. 

    All students should bring their test device an external mouse or keyboard (if desired) and a pencil or a pen for making notes. Students are also allowed to bring a charging cord or power bank, snacks and a drink, and hand sanitizer. These additional items should be stored under the students desk or in their backpack.

    The following items are not allowed during the test or breaks.

    • Mobile phones, smartwatches or electronic devices other than the testing device
    • Watches that beep, make a noise, or have an alarm
    • External Keyboard, if using a laptop
    • Stylus
    • Separate Computer monitor
    • Privacy Screen not permanently fixed to the device
    • Books, notebooks, keyboard maps, or references of any kind
    • Scratch paper not provided by the proctor
    • Sticky notes, papers with login and/or password information must be collected befor sign in ticket is issued
    • Headphones, earbuds, or earplugs
    • Any camera or recording device
    • Separate timer
    • Another testing devices

    We will plan to begin test administration promptly at 8:45 the morning of October 11th. Following test administration, we plan to provide lunch for all testers and then engage in an afternoon of learning service on and off campus with our official Community Partners. This afternoon of service will be both educational and participatory and students will have the opportunity to earn three hours of community service toward their yearly requirement. All students will return to campus by 4:00 to be able to participate in all after school activities. 

    Afternoon of Service Plans 
    • 9th Graders - Stay on Campus, Learn about Fields Edge, their mission, vision, and how we can support them. Operation Campus Beautification.
    • 10th Graders - Visit Centers for Children and Families. Learn about their mission, vision, and how we can support them. Volunteer on site.
    • 11th Graders - Visit High Sky Children’s Ranch. Learn about their mission, vision, and how we can support them. Volunteer on site.
    • 12th Graders - Meet at the West Texas Food Bank at 1:30 to volunteer on site.
    Read More
  • PE Update September/October

    Click "PE Update September/October" above to see more
    Read More
  • September

    8th Grade PSAT

    Dear 8th Grade Parents,
     
    On Wednesday, October 11th, 2023, all Grade 8 students will take the Digital PSAT 8/9 standardized test. For grades 8 through 10, the PSAT is practice for the PSAT/NMSQT test taken by juniors across the country. The 11th-grade exam determines qualification for National Merit Scholarships. There is no need to run out to purchase test prep tutoring books or tutoring for this exam. It is a research-based and practice test and should be viewed as such. Students should get a good night’s sleep and eat a healthy breakfast before coming to school. Students who have testing on file and receive extended time will use that accommodation on this assessment. 

    Students will test from 8:00 a.m. until 11:30 a.m., eat lunch on campus, watch a movie, and enjoy the afternoon serving at Helping Hands. If you still need to complete the Helping Hands permission form, please do so as soon as possible. This form can be found at the top of the page when you log into your myTrinity account. Just as a reminder, both parents need to sign the form. 

    Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

    Best,

    Chrystal Myers
    Head of Middle School

    Read More
  • Athletics Update 9.28.23

    The Lady Chargers Volleyball team is off to a good start in district play. After wins vs Temple Christian, Fellowship Academy, Covenant Christian and San Jacinto, the Lady Chargers sit in 3rd place in their district. They are one game behind Lubbock Christian and two games behind Denton Calvary. They are 4-2 in district play and 19-8 overall. They are traveling to Weatherford this Friday for their final game of the first round of district play. 

    The football team started district play with a big win 67-39 over undefeated Denton Calvary. The Chargers are 1-0 in district play and 2-2 for the year.
    Read More
  • Pony Pals

    Dear Preschool and Kindergarten Parents,

    Introducing Pony Pals: Our Preschool and Kindergarten version of Corral Pals!

    As we kick off another exciting school year, we want to introduce you to a special program designed for our youngest Chargers, similar to Corral Pals for older students. At Trinity, one of our most cherished traditions is seeing connections blossom between students of different ages, much like Seniors and 1st Grade Buddies. These connections are a testament to the strength of our community. The creation of Pony Pals ensures that every student has the chance to build these valuable connections.

    Parents, what do you need to do to support Pony Pals? Nothing! Pony Pal events will take place on campus during the school day. Feel free to ask your students about their pals and help them understand the value of community and new friends. Please do not buy gifts or do special things for your child’s Pony Pals outside of these events. The relationships are the reward!  


    Read More
  • Preschool Newsletter 9.22.23

    Click "Preschool Newsletter 9.22.23" above to read page 2
    Read More
  • Stay Connected: Using the Trinity Website

    Read More
  • Pony Pals

    Dear Preschool and Kindergarten Parents,

    Introducing Pony Pals: Our Preschool and Kindergarten version of Corral Pals!

    As we kick off another exciting school year, we want to introduce you to a special program designed for our youngest Chargers, similar to Corral Pals for older students. At Trinity, one of our most cherished traditions is seeing connections blossom between students of different ages, much like Seniors and 1st Grade Buddies. These connections are a testament to the strength of our community. The creation of Pony Pals ensures that every student has the chance to build these valuable connections.

    Parents, what do you need to do to support Pony Pals? Nothing! Pony Pal events will take place on campus during the school day. Feel free to ask your students about their pals and help them understand the value of community and new friends. Please do not buy gifts or do special things for your child’s Pony Pals outside of these events. The relationships are the reward!  
    Read More
  • Nurturing Responsible Digital Citizens

    Adrianne Clifton
    Nurturing Responsible Digital Citizens: 
    Parents Supporting Safe AI Use for Children

    In today's technologically advanced world, artificial intelligence (AI) has become an integral part of our daily lives. From smart devices to educational tools, AI is transforming the way we interact with technology and learn. As AI's influence continues to grow, it's crucial for parents to play an active role in guiding their children in the responsible and safe use of AI, both as consumers and learners.

    Understanding AI and Its Impact
    Artificial intelligence refers to the development of computer systems capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as learning, problem-solving, and decision-making. AI algorithms can adapt and improve their performance over time, making them powerful tools for various applications, including education.

    However, AI's potential benefits come with inherent risks, such as privacy breaches, misinformation, and potential biases in algorithms. Parents need to understand these risks to effectively guide their children in navigating the digital landscape.

    Communicating Openly and Honestly
    Open communication is fundamental in establishing a safe and responsible AI environment for children. Parents should initiate age-appropriate conversations about AI, explaining its basics and potential benefits and risks. Encourage questions and create a safe space where children can freely discuss their concerns and experiences.

    By engaging in open dialogue, parents can demystify AI and help their children develop critical thinking skills needed to discern trustworthy AI-driven content from misinformation.

    Supervising AI Usage and Setting Boundaries
    Monitoring and controlling AI usage is crucial in ensuring a safe online environment for children. Parents can employ parental control features available on devices and platforms to limit access to age-appropriate content and manage screen time.

    Setting boundaries on the types of AI applications and content that children can access helps in preventing exposure to harmful or inappropriate material. Regularly reviewing and adjusting these boundaries as children grow and mature is essential.

    Introducing Educational AI Tools
    AI-driven educational tools can enhance a child's learning experience by providing personalized and interactive learning opportunities. Parents can introduce their children to AI-powered educational apps, games, or platforms that align with their interests and school curriculum.

    However, it's essential to carefully select and evaluate these tools to ensure they are age-appropriate, safe, and beneficial for a child's learning journey. Parents should actively engage with their children while using these tools, offering guidance and support when needed.

    Teaching Digital Literacy and Ethical AI Use
    Educating children about digital literacy and responsible AI use is key to fostering a generation of informed and ethical digital citizens. Parents can teach children to critically assess online information, question sources, and identify biases in AI algorithms.

    Emphasize the importance of respecting privacy, understanding terms of service, and being cautious about sharing personal information online. Encourage them to report any inappropriate or concerning AI-generated content they come across.

    Encouraging Curiosity and Innovation
    Nurturing a child's curiosity and interest in AI is a wonderful way to support their learning journey. Encourage them to explore AI through coding, robotics, and other related activities. Participating in AI workshops, camps, or clubs can provide hands-on experiences and foster creativity and innovation.

    By nurturing a positive attitude toward AI and technology, parents can empower their children to embrace AI's potential while understanding its limitations and responsibilities.

    Conclusion
    Parents play a crucial role in shaping their children's understanding and usage of AI. By fostering open communication, setting boundaries, introducing educational AI tools, teaching digital literacy, and encouraging curiosity, parents can support their children in becoming responsible digital citizens who harness the power of AI safely and ethically.

    In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, parental guidance and involvement are vital in ensuring that children navigate the world of AI with knowledge, discernment, and a sense of responsibility. Together, we can pave the way for a future where AI serves as a force for good, empowering the next generation to make informed choices and contribute positively to society.

    This article was in part generated by ChatGPT.  
    Adrianne Clifton, Neophyte of Artificial Intelligence
    Associate Head of School  
    Read More
  • The Charger Times

    Middle School Newspaper (Click "The Charger Times" above to read more!)
    Read More
  • Preschool Newsletter 9.22.23

    Click "Preschool Newsletter 9.22.23" above to read page 2
    Read More
  • Middle School Open House

    Chrystal Myers, Head of Middle School
    Dear Middle School Families,

    We are super excited about you joining us for our Middle School Open House on Thursday, September 28th. Below is our schedule for the evening. 

    We will begin our time together with the whole group at 5:30 p.m.  Mr. Freese and I will share a few words about Trinity Middle School, and our Fine Arts teachers will share about their respective courses. Following our whole group time, we will split into two groups, 5th and 6th grade, and 7th and 8th grade, to allow teachers to share information related to the classroom and subject matter. Due to the limited time each teacher has, we cannot use this time for individual conversations; however, you will receive a sheet with all teacher contacts and office hours so you can set up a time to visit. Following the group sessions, teachers will be in their classrooms for those of you who want to visit your child’s learning space.  

    We look forward to sharing our evening with you!

    Chrystal

    Open House 
    September 28, 2023
    5:30 - 7:00 PM

    5:30 - 6:00 pm Whole Group, Grades 5 - 8 in the Commons
    • Welcome to Middle School 
      • Mrs. Myers & Mr. Freese
    • Fine Arts share their slides

    6:00 - 6:30ish Split groups
    • Grades 5 and 6 in the Commons
    • Grades 7 and 8 in the Chapel

    6:30 - 7:00 Parents visit classrooms
    • Fine arts teachers meet in the Student Center
    • Physical Education meets in the 5th and 6th-grade hallway (South hall)
    • Athletics meet in the 7th and 8th grade hallway (North hall)
    Read More
  • Upper School Open House September 28th

    We are excited to host you all for our Open House on Thursday, September 28th starting at 5:30 p.m. The plan for our evening is a mix of formal and informal interactions.

    We will begin in Advisory for the first 15 minutes. Your child’s advisor and classroom teachers are listed in your myTrinity account. Advisors will be located in the following rooms in the
    deCompiegne Building.

    • Cerezo- Flex 2 (708)
    • Dueñas - 706
    • Gates - Flex 1 (705)
    • Kleinbeck - 704
    • Lafarelle - 715
    • Little - 711
    • McHale - 713
    • Merryman - 714
    • Midkiff - 701
    • Pannell - 709
    • Patterson - 703
    • Shipley - 707
    • Vollet - 710
    • Weisenfels - 716
    • Wheeler - 702
     
    After Advisory all teachers will be available for informal interactions, but if you would prefer a more formal presentation from a teacher or teachers they will be available with five minute discipline specific presentations happening every 10 minutes. Open House will conclude at 7:00.
     
    Formal - Five Minute Class Presentations
    Math - 5:55
    • Wheeler - 702
    • Shipley - 707
    • Vollet - 710
    History & Social Sciences - 6:05
    • Midkiff - 706
    • Little - 711
    • Wetendorf -701
    Science - 6:15
    • McHale - 713
    • Merryman - 714
    • Lafarelle - 715
    • Mueller - 716
    English - 6:25
    • Kleinbeck - 702
    • Patterson - 703
    • Pannell - 709
    World Language 6:35
    • Cerezo - Flex 2 (708)
    • Tervooren - Flex 1 (705)
    • Whiles (701)
    Upper School Leadership Team - 6:45
    • Flex 1
     
    Educational Support Service - Informal Sessions in room 725 from 6:00 - 6:45
     
    Teachers and Coaches and/or other representatives will be available between the de Compiegne hallways from 6:00 - 6:45 for:
     
    • Choir
    • Band
    • Speech & Debate 
    • Visual Arts
    • Athletics
    • Journalism/Yearbook
    Read More
  • #WinAtSocial

    Trinity School has launched a partnership with the Social Institute to help strengthen students' social and emotional well-being and to equip them in their abilities to navigate complex intersections of well-being, social media and technology. This week we ran our first lesson. A breakdown of what we discussed will follow so that you may continue the conversation if you desire.

    Your child's class just ran the #WinAtSocial Lesson, honoring the power of unity and resilience as we reflect on 9/11. As you have time, continue the conversation at home about these important modern-day life skills. Consider encouraging your child to coach up and share their ideas. Here are some questions you can pose to everyone in the family:

    1. TOSS UP: The 9/11 crash sites in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania impacted an entire nation. We kicked off our discussion by watching Tom Hanks narrate the inspiring story of the 9/11 Boatlift: the largest water evacuation in world history that rescued half a million people from Lower Manhattan. If you haven’t seen it yet (or are ever feeling glum about the state of our society), consider watching this relatively unsung story about unity, hope, and resilience. Link to video:
    https://bit.ly/boatlifton911
    2. COACH UP: There had never been a plan for how to conduct a mass evacuation from the most densely populated city in America — that was unthinkable. Yet, perfect strangers pulled together to make it happen. What about the video resonated with you the most?
    3. HUDDLE UP: We can apply this story about unity and resilience to our own lives. Try and think about a time when you came together with others to overcome adversity or used resilience to persist through a personal challenge. As a family, go around the room and share a moment that comes to mind for each of you. Discover more insights and expert tips on social media and tech by checking out the Parent Toolkit. As part of the School's partnership with The Social Institute, you receive exclusive access to the Parent Toolkit, which includes a full library of content specifically for families. All co-created with students and experts around the country. Platform Playbooks feature expert breakdowns of the most popular apps and platforms and offer tips on how students can use them positively. TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, ChatGPT, Fortnite... the list goes on and on!

    Family Huddles help you reinforce the important modern-day life skills that your child is learning at school. These topics align with #WinAtSocial Lessons to extend the discussion beyond the classroom and encourage students to huddle with their families.

    Use your Parent Toolkit School Code and activate your free account today.
    Activate Your Account or Log In
    Your Parent Toolkit School Code: 27c202F2742AC2
    Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions you may have.

    Khrystal Garcia
    Wellness Director
    kgarcia@trinitymidland.org
    Read More
  • Preschool Newsletter 9.15.23

    Click "Preschool Newsletter 9.15.23" above to read page 2
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  • One School One Book

    Dear Families, 
     
    We have enjoyed discussing Fenway and Hattie each day in Chapel for our One School, One Book event.  This coming Friday, students will celebrate finishing the book together in our Commons, and on Monday, Victoria J. Coe, the author of Fenway and Hattie will be working with each grade level in a writing workshop on campus!  We are excited for them to learn from the author herself! 
     
    Thank you for helping us build this community of readers!  
     
    Best, 
    Carrie Brown
    Read More
  • Preschool Newsletter 9.8.23

    Click "Preschool Newsletter 9.8.23" above to read page 2
    Read More
  • Upper School Chapel Update

    Chaplain Weisenfels
    This fall in Chapel we are studying the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke).  It is fun to  explore the differences in each, but most importantly to discover how they recount who Jesus is, what he preached and taught.  We’re still in Mark Chapter 1 (a lot happens in one chapter!), but this week we’ll be moving on to Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount and Luke’s Sermon on the Plain.  The Sermon gives us a lot of opportunity to discuss making good choices and doing the right thing.  Jesus’ way is often not the easy way, but it is always the best way.  

    Senior Chapel Talks are a crowd favorite, and we look forward to those beginning near the end of September.  The small but mighty Class of 2024 will have great wisdom, humor and experience to share with us.  Another favorite Trinity tradition is Birthday Blessings.  We offer these on Fridays for anyone with a birthday the previous Monday through the following Sunday.

    We have a great group of student leaders in our team of Prefects, and they are serving faithfully as acolytes and liturgists.  We have just had our first monthly meeting, and I am always so grateful for the creative input our Prefects bring to Chapel planning.  Speaking of creativity, we are enjoying the musical leadership of a variety of students who lead worship on Friday in our Praise Team. The opportunity to participate in the Praise Team is always open, and we are currently recruiting other student musicians to offer music, vocal or instrumental, during the Eucharist on Wednesdays.  If you have a musician in your household, please encourage them to share their gifts with us.  Students love nothing more than hearing from their peers.

    It brings me joy worshiping with the Trinity students and faculty every day. If you have any questions about Chapel or any aspect of the spiritual life of the School, please reach out to me any time.

    Chaplain Weisenfels
    Read More
  • College Advising Update

    Trey Wetendorf
    The summer and fall has been a busy one for the College Advising office here at Trinity School of Midland. Looking forward there is change upon us when it comes to standardized testing and a quick thank you to the Trinity School community. 

    Summer:

    During June, seniors met with me in small groups and individually at The Hand Cafe in Midland to work on their college applications, resumes, and college essays. The students worked hard, had a great time visiting with one another over a coffee or a bite to eat, and took turns going down the gigantic slide.  I have always enjoyed the activity as it allows me to spend time with our newest senior class. With small class sizes at Trinity School, students seeking college advising can typically have unlimited visits with their college advisor, which is a huge plus in helping students find the right fit colleges to apply to and attend.

    You may have seen the news where the Supreme Court struck down a college’s ability to use race as a factor in admitting a student to college. Colleges and The National Association for College Admission Counseling are all working together to ensure that colleges follow these guidelines while at the same time working on new strategies to increase access for all students. 

    As always we started off the month of August with our annual Midnight Madness College Application Event. To my knowledge, it is the only one across the country. The senior class came up to the school late in the evening to enjoy an array of breakfast cereals, donuts, and most of all one another’s company. Throughout the event, we had trivia contests, a college application workshop, and some students even hit submit at the midnight hour. 

    Fall:

    The school year is off to a fast and furious start regarding college applications. The mighty senior class of 25 students has been working hard and submitting their applications. As of September 1st, nearly half of the class has submitted at least one application with nearly 5 students receiving acceptance letters to one or more colleges across the country. Last year’s senior class had over 180 acceptances to over 70 different colleges and universities and accumulated over $6 million in merit awards. I expect great things to come with similar results for the class of 2024.

    Looking Forward:

    Some new changes are coming this fall and early next year with regard to standardized testing. This year’s PSAT exam will be a digital-only test and the SAT will pivot to a digital-only test format starting in January of 2024. More information about the digital PSAT will be available in future Charger articles. Furthermore, I expect you will see more written about these tests in national headlines and future Charger articles.

    Finally, it has been a great pleasure serving as Trinity School’s College Advisor for the last 11 years. A huge thanks to everyone here who has supported me.  I started at Trinity School as a student with Dr. Premi Johnson back in 1980 and after leaving Trinity in 9th grade, I had the opportunity to come back to work at a school I absolutely loved growing up at. This is a special place with amazing students, leadership, faculty, and staff. I can assure you that colleges across the country love recruiting and having Trinity School students. I will be working at Schreiner University in Kerrville, and I am excited to see what God has in store for me. Wishing you and this amazing school the very best for many years to come.

    Dr. Trey Wetendorf 
    Read More
  • Trinity @ Garden City this Friday

    Chargers, mark your calendars for this Friday, 9/8, at 7:30 pm when we take on Garden City! Grab your tickets at the Garden City High School stadium entrance for just $2 for students and $4 for adults.

    It's Garden City's homecoming, so get ready for some extra excitement! There's construction at the school, so plan accordingly, and you'll find extra parking behind the visitor stands.

    The game will be live-streamed here: https://fan.hudl.com/United-States/TX/Garden-City/organization/12795/Garden-City-High-School 
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  • Preschool Newsletter 9.1.23

    Click "Preschool Newsletter 9.1.23" above to read page 2
    Read More
  • August

    Open House Recap

    Click "Open House Recap" above to see full presentation
    Read More
  • Cups and Bottles

    UPDATE:
    We have had several significant spills in the hallways and classrooms, so we ask that all cups/bottles have a lid with a secure closure. Cups with straws are not in this category.
    Read More
  • Fall Athletics

    It has been an incredible start to the year for Upper School athletics. The volleyball team is off to a great start at 11-4. They won the Big Spring tournament by defeating Midland Classical in the championship game. The ladies start district play on September 8 at home against Temple Christian.

    The Cross Country team has had good showings at both the Andrews meet and the Tall City meet here in Midland. Seventh grader, Mia S. finished in the top 10 at the Andrews meet. Coach DiBiaggio is in her second year at Trinity and is doing a great job building the program. 

    Football has one of the largest teams in school history at twenty three members. This will allow for at least three JV football games this year along with the 9 varsity regular season games. The team got off to a good start on Friday with a 66-61 win over Holy Cross. The Junior/Freshman combo of Jude Varner and Stacy Jones combined for 519 yards rushing and 8 touchdowns. Jude had 34 carries for 364 and 5 touchdowns. Stacy had 10 carries for 159 yards and 3 touchdowns. Our first home game of the season is September 15 against Grady. 

    Last but not least, cheer had a strong summer receiving blue ribbons and top rankings at the UCA Cheer Camp in June. The team has grown from 8 girls last year to 14 this year.  We are looking forward to an incredible season. Please come out and support these hardworking young athletes as they represent Trinity School at the highest level.
    Read More
  • Football Update

    Football has one of the largest teams in school history at twenty three members. This will allow for at least three JV football games this year along with the nine varsity regular season games. The team got off to a good start on Friday with a 66-61 win over Holy Cross. The Junior/Freshman combo of Jude Varner and Stacy Jones combined for 519 yards rushing and 8 touchdowns. Jude had 34 carries for 364 and 5 touchdowns. Stacy had 10 carries for 159 yards and 3 touchdowns. Our first home game of the season is September 15 against Grady. 
    Read More
  • Middle School Update 8.30.23

    Chrystal Myers, Head of Middle School
    Dear Middle School Families,

    With every new beginning comes challenges and victories. After two and a half weeks of school, we have made a few minor adjustments to carpool, individual schedules, and lunch routines with the student’s best interests in mind. We have visited in detail about policies, procedures, and expectations and signed our names to the Honor Code. All the butterflies and unknowns have dissipated for students and teachers, and we are well into our new daily routine. Once again, laughter, singing, and a ton of energy fill the hallways. The Simmons Building is buzzing with healthy conversations from both Middle and Upper School students and is simply a happy place to be! 

    I ask that you join us in encouraging your child to embrace the opportunity of a fresh start, whether in the classroom, on the field or court, or outside the school. Though this starting point may look different for each student, it is a great way to develop and implement or maintain relationships, study habits, commitments, and perseverance. 

    I look forward to a great year. Please know that I am here should you need me. 

    Gratefully,
    Chrystal 
    Read More
  • 6th Grade Art Moment

    Read More
  • Preschool Newsletter 8.25.23

    Click "Preschool Newsletter 8.25.23" above to read page 2
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  • Assistant Basketball Coach Needed

    Read More
  • Meet Correy Roy

    Read More
  • Athletics Update 8.24.23

    Varsity volleyball has started the year off with a bang. They are 9-1-1 to start the year. They won the Big Spring tournament with a victory in the championship game against Midland Classical. They are in the Denver City tournament this weekend. They will begin District play at home on September 8th vs Temple Christian.
     
    Cross Country had an awesome race this weekend at Andrews Relays! Mia Salcone '29 finished top 10 in the middle school division.
     
    Varsity Football plays their first game of the season in Odessa tonight. Kickoff against Holy Cross is 7:30 pm at Ratliff South Field.
    Read More
  • One School, One Book

    Dear Families,

    Lower School of Trinity is about to take part in a special, community-wide shared reading event.   Our aim is to develop a Community of Readers in our Lower School.  Reading aloud and reading together is valuable because it helps students become motivated as readers, and it is fun.  Everyone - students, parents, teachers, administrators - will all be following along on the reading of text.  Every staff member and every student will receive a copy of the same book and we will all read it together at home starting August 28.  

    This is a novel program in which students from kindergarten through fourth grade receive the same book.  Some of our students will follow the schedule and read independently.  If this is the case, it is important that these students only read what is scheduled each day.  They will certainly be interested and want to read on, but the anticipation will be a motivating factor for the nightly reading session.  Other students will need an adult to read to them.  This is okay.  Reading researchers and professionals recommend reading material out loud that is beyond a child’s own reading ability.  Even if your child is capable of reading independently, the benefit of an adult reading to them is great.  A title has been selected that can be followed, understood, and enjoyed by our Lower School students.  It will captivate and stimulate students of all ages.  One aim of this program is to develop a Community of Readers in our Lower School.  

    Your child will receive a copy of the book at a special Lower School assembly introducing the program and the book on August 28.  Along with the book, you will also receive a reading schedule so that you and your child can stay on pace.  Generally, the reading will take about 15 minutes each night.

    In school, the students will be challenged with questions to answer and/or talk about as everyone proceeds through the book.  Students will take great pride and interest in the story and the community-wide discussions that can take place.  It will be important to keep pace with the reading so that your child can be included.

    We know you will enjoy this special reading time with your child.  Everyone in Lower School is excited about starting this program and beginning the discussions.  When an entire school reads a book, there’s plenty to talk about.  With your help we can have a successful program and build a Community of Readers at Trinity Lower School.

    Happy Reading! 
    Read More
  • Trinity Honor Council

    Trinity School relies on a set of values and competencies to set a moral compass for students and faculty. We adhere to a code, the Honor Code, which states: “Because I believe that integrity is essential, I promise not to lie, cheat, or steal, or tolerate those who do.” This code is the cornerstone of each Trinity Charger and creates an environment of trust. However, sometimes, since we are human, this code is violated.  When this occurs, the Trinity Honor Council is convened to determine the correct course of action. 

    The Trinity Honor Council is made up of eight upperclassmen: two seniors, two juniors, two sophomores, and two freshmen. Their teachers nominate them, and the finalists are selected by their peers. These students serve for the remainder of their upper school years. Yearly training assures that the Council is making the best decisions based on the latest research.  

    While appearing before the Council is not pleasant, the process is meant to be more restorative than punitive. It is not the intent of the Council to pass judgment on the student, but rather on the isolated action that the student took. When an Honor Code violation occurs, the teacher takes that concern to the Dean of Students, who, along with the teacher, determines whether the Council should be convened.

    The student is brought before the eight-member body and given the opportunity to explain the circumstances surrounding the alleged violation of the Honor Code. The teacher also gives a statement explaining why he or she believes the student violated the Code. After hearing all of the evidence, the Council makes a consequence recommendation. This often includes a letter of apology, a reduction in grade, and an opportunity to complete a new assignment to ensure the student is learning the material. The Council recommendation is taken to the Head of School, Mrs. Hammer, who has final authority over the consequence recommendation. 

    The process is private and confidential. The student’s advisor is with the student accused during the process and is encouraged to support the student with questions or clarifications during the Council process. The hope is that the experience is a one-time event and lessons are learned here in a safe environment rather than in a larger college environment where the ramifications could be much more severe. 

    By having students administer the Honor Code, it is hoped that the entire student body will take ownership of the Code and hold each other accountable. It is the hope of this Dean of Students that each student learns from the experience and moves forward in a positive and restorative manner. Hebrews 12:11 states, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”  This is the intended result of the Honor Code and Council process. 
    Read More
  • Preschool Newsletter 8.18.23

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  • Trinity Girl Scouts

    If your daughter (K5 or older) is interested in joining the Girl Scout Troop at Trinity, please contact Leigh Ann Dobson for more details. We’re also looking for volunteers if you would like to join our team. leighanndobson@gmail.com

    The deadline to register is Friday, Sept 1. 
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  • Trinity Girl Scouts

    If your daughter (K5 or older) is interested in joining the Girl Scout Troop at Trinity, please contact Leigh Ann Dobson for more details. We’re also looking for volunteers if you would like to join our team. leighanndobson@gmail.com

    The deadline to register is Friday, Sept 1. 
    Read More
  • Week One Update

    Carrie Brown, Head of Lower School
    Dear Families! 

    This has been a great first (half) week of school!  I have been so impressed by how smoothly things started!  While we always make tweaks where needed, carpool, lunch and navigating schedules has been off to a successful start!  Thank you for sending your students well-rested and ready to go each morning! 

    Today in Chapel, I am going to kick off a series of chapel talks over the year that highlight the character strengths I mentioned in my back to school letter that were part of the book Thrivers by Michele Borba.  We are starting off the year by talking about self-confidence. I am sharing one of my most favorite children’s books, Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon! 

    Please let us know if you need anything.  We are so excited to spend the year with your children! Thank you for partnering with us in this work!

    Best,
    Carrie
    Read More
  • Week One Update

    Chrystal Myers, Head of Middle School
    Dear Middle School Families,  

    Whew! We made it. Thank you for showing up this week and helping us get through the first few days of the new school year. We had an excellent turnout and a crazy fun time for Meet the Teacher and Meet the Chargers! I apologize to those of you who had to wait on Chromebook setup, had schedule issues, or had trouble finding your child's classrooms. I know it may have felt a bit chaotic, but it really was organized chaos that allowed us to hit the ground running on Wednesday morning. I hope it also eased any fears or unknowns your child(ren) may have had. 

    The students’ and teachers' smiles, excitement, and energy are infectious and have brought our building back to life. We look forward to building on that positive energy that has filled our classrooms, commons, chapel, and outdoor spaces to enhance authentic learning and create a safe and welcoming space for your child to flourish this school year.  Middle School is truly a fun place to be!

    We are so very grateful for the opportunity to spend our days with your child(ren) and look forward to a year full of learning and memories. Please know that you are always welcome in the MS, and my door is always open. Stop by anytime to visit or just pop in to check out the greatness that happens each day. 

    Gratefully,

    Chrystal 
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  • Middle School Student Council Elections

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  • Welcome Back to School

    Madison Alworth
    Happy first week back at school! I hope that everyone had a wonderful and relaxing summer and is ready for the start of a new year. As the student body president for the 2023-24 school year, I have the honor of writing this message to welcome you back to campus. I am so excited for everyone to be back on campus, and I hope everyone is eager to reestablish a wonderful school routine and get back to work! A little over a month ago, Mrs Hammer introduced this years theme: “Let your light shine”. Whether this is in the classroom, on the court, or through anything you do, I encourage you to always strive to do your best and make the best positive impact wherever you can. This will be my 13th year at Trinity, and I can confidently say that there is no other school or community like it. I hope everyone does their best throughout the year—and forever— to shine their lights to the best of their ability on the people around them. I hope everyone has a wonderful school year, and GO CHARGERS!!
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  • AP Art and Design

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  • August Newsletter

    Megan Irwin
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  • Charger Up Summer Camp

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  • New Turf Playground

    I hope everyone gets a chance to check out the new turf added to the play area between the CEC and Preschool building this summer. Thank you TCA.
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  • July

    Back to School Sports Update

    Sports will be starting July 31st for Upper School and August 16th for Middle School. If your child is involved in any TAPPS sport, please review and complete the following information. 
     
    TAPPS, the athletic league in which Trinity participates, requires that its member schools use Rank One Sport, a web-based software application used by numerous athletic departments across America. All the forms you will need for each season will be submitted on Rank One. See the steps to log in and complete these forms below.
     
    Login Information 
    1. Go to rankonesport.com
    2. Pick “parents click here” in the top right corner. 
    3. Click Online Forms> Texas> Trinity School – Midland. That will open a new page to create your account or log in if you are a returning student/parent. (If you have trouble, there is a link below to help guide you through the process.)
    4. Choose your student(s), pick all the sports they will participate in, and complete all the forms. I have already added your child to rosters according to the sports form you completed this spring, so you may not have to choose a sport. When you begin, you will see many links that say either “incomplete” or “approved.”
    Forms 
    The Physical Form: The Physical Upload Form may say approved because all physicals from last year remain in the system until August 2023.  You can still upload a new physical form before August. Click here for the Physical Form you will need to take with you to the doctor’s office.
    Once the doctor signs the Physical form, you will need to upload it to Rank One. (If you want to bring it to the front office, we can upload it for you.) If your child needed a physical to attend a camp this summer, that physical will be accepted.
     
    Please complete all other forms that say "incomplete." Forms will need to be filled out for each sport your child will play:
    • TAPPS Medical History;
    • Student Vehicle Liability Form;
    • TAPPS Student Profile;
    • TAPPS Signature Page;
    • Travel Games Permission; and
    • Release forms.
    You will also see a Health Insurance Upload Form to complete. This is not actually a form but a place for you to upload a picture of your insurance card if an emergency arises and you are not available.
     
    Immunization Records: Please send these to Nurse Rapier, regular mail (Attn: Sarah Rapier, Trinity School, 3500 W. Wadley Ave., Midland TX, 79707), or bring a copy to campus. We need a new copy every year. 
     
    Signatures Required:
    The forms below require a student and parent signature:
    • Medical History
    • Vehicle Liability Form
    • Student Profile
    • Signature Page
    • Travel Release Forms
    • The Physical and Health Insurance Upload Forms require a parent signature only.
     
    The required forms deadline is August 4th.  If the forms are not in by this date, your student will not be allowed to practice or play until all categories are complete in Rank One.
     
    Practices will start in August. Upper School students need to check their emails for information regarding fall sports. Head coaches will be contacting athletes through email with more information about the start of practices in August. Middle School practices will not start until school starts.
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  • Freshmen and New Upper School Student Orientation

    Tim Jones
    Freshmen and New Upper School Student Orientation
    Tuesday, August 15
    Noon - 2:30 for Students, Lunch provided
    2:00-2:30 for Parents
    Meet in the Commons

    *Students should bring their computers. Click this link to learn about Bring Your Own Device technology requirements.
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  • Swim Team News

    We are excited to announce that the YMCA is providing the use of their pool in the mornings for our Upper School swim team practices from October through the TAPPS State Meet in February. If you are an Upper School student interested in swimming for Trinity, please contact Rachel Merryman
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  • June

    Grade 4-5 Chess Team

    Charlie Vetter
    The Trinity fourth and fifth grade chess team went intro the Regionals confident they'd take first place.
     
    There was a quirky rule that made the Charger sixth graders have to play everyone else's seventh and eighth graders. That meant the Trinity fourth and fifth graders would play everyone else's sixth graders. Still, the Charger fourth and fifth graders were the main part of the Trinity team that went undefeated this year in the Midland Scholastic Chess League so they went into this year's Regionals with a large team and undefeated year behind them.
     
    Last year the Regionals were in San Angelo and Trinity's Pearson Doyle was the only undefeated player to take first place. Making it a Trinity sweep last year Gus Padgett finished in second place. so the Chargers went into this year's 170 player tournament a confident bunch.
     
    "I was nervous, but once five moves were played I got over it," said Ollie Mathewson. "I was thinking undefeated right from the beginning." With one round to go Ollie was in fact undefeated and facing the only other undefeated player for the Regional championship. "It was a normal king pawn opening," Ollie said setting up a titanic struggle that was unclear right until the last move. "He sacrificed a pawn to gain the center. It was my hardest game but in the end that one pawn killed him." The rest of the game was just mental hard work with Ollie gradually equalizing the position so that he was a clear pawn ahead, but converting that pawn to a win was extremely difficult as his opponent skillfully defended for a draw. With many onlookers, the endgame swung between a win for Ollie, then a draw, then a win for Ollie, then a draw, and finally Ollie broke through and promoted his pawn causing a resignation and a clear first place win for Ollie giving him the Regional championship as the only undefeated player.
     
    Meanwhile Gus Padgett who finished with no losses and a draw last year was having another good Regionals this year. "I wasn't nervous at all," said Gus. I didn't try anything fancy. I played the Italian game but most of my opponents knew how to play it." Gus said his best move was a round three discovered attack when he sacced a bishop but netted a queen."  In the end again Gus didn't lose a single game, but just like last year he had one draw. "The draw was a rook ending. I missed a mate. Oops."  The no loss, one draw finish netted Gus a second place finish for the second Regional in a row. His record against the best players of West Texas is now nine wins, no losses and two draws. Gus also finished the Scholastic Chess League with the most wins. So what has this all taught him?  "When I see a good move, I need to look deeper because I can always find a better move." 
     
    With the first and second place finishers, a first place team trophy was assured, but many other players had at least three wins too. 
     
    Joaquin Gil finished with four wins and one loss. "I had some easy wins," Joaquin said. "I went on the attack right away and got ahead early." He said he played the Four Knights Opening but one opponent hit him with a surprise opening. "I had to come up with a different plan," he said.
     
    Ewan MacDonald finished with three wins and a draw. "I played the London system, but I didn't have many opportunities," he said, lamenting that "I played too fast."
     
    Evan Walker also finished with three wins and a draw. "Someone played the Caro-Kann against me," he said. Before he could set up his opening I attacked and won his queen," About his draw, Evan said," I was lucky to stalemate."
     
    Two fourth graders who started this year as absolute beginners but ended the season as strong players on the Trinity team were Christianne Meyer and Charles Dorman. They each finished with three wins and a draw. "I was confident," said Christianne. "My opponents were all new people to me, but they all played stuff I was used to. I lost the first game even though I was even the whole game. I just missed a checkmate. The second game I stalemated. I was so mad at myself." The next three games were all wins for Christianne. "They were all easy," she said. "A Caro-Kann, an English, and a Sicilian." She said when she looks at each position, "I look at the board like a puzzle."
     
    Charles also finished with three wins and a draw. "My first game was easy. I took all his pieces," Charles said.  "Most of the stuff I had seen before," so no surprises, but a lesson in competitiveness may be needed when discussing his draw. "I took her queen. She offered a draw and I accepted because I felt bad for her." 
     
    Other Trinity players who had three points were Pearson Doyle, Tonny Patrick, Rowan Baker and Kelly Xie. It was a strong team effort.
     
    These games were longer than any games the Chargers have played before and quite a few of the players complained that the time limit was too long. That view was best summed by Micah Griffin who finished with two wins and a draw. "I could have been trying to beat Legend of Zelda Breath Of The Wild," Micah said.
     
     
     
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  • Grade 4-5 Chess Team

    Charlie Vetter
    The Trinity fourth and fifth grade chess team went intro the Regionals confident they'd take first place.
     
    There was a quirky rule that made the Charger sixth graders have to play everyone else's seventh and eighth graders. That meant the Trinity fourth and fifth graders would play everyone else's sixth graders. Still, the Charger fourth and fifth graders were the main part of the Trinity team that went undefeated this year in the Midland Scholastic Chess League so they went into this year's Regionals with a large team and undefeated year behind them.
     
    Last year the Regionals were in San Angelo and Trinity's Pearson Doyle was the only undefeated player to take first place. Making it a Trinity sweep last year Gus Padgett finished in second place. so the Chargers went into this year's 170 player tournament a confident bunch.
     
    "I was nervous, but once five moves were played I got over it," said Ollie Mathewson. "I was thinking undefeated right from the beginning." With one round to go Ollie was in fact undefeated and facing the only other undefeated player for the Regional championship. "It was a normal king pawn opening," Ollie said setting up a titanic struggle that was unclear right until the last move. "He sacrificed a pawn to gain the center. It was my hardest game but in the end that one pawn killed him." The rest of the game was just mental hard work with Ollie gradually equalizing the position so that he was a clear pawn ahead, but converting that pawn to a win was extremely difficult as his opponent skillfully defended for a draw. With many onlookers, the endgame swung between a win for Ollie, then a draw, then a win for Ollie, then a draw, and finally Ollie broke through and promoted his pawn causing a resignation and a clear first place win for Ollie giving him the Regional championship as the only undefeated player.
     
    Meanwhile Gus Padgett who finished with no losses and a draw last year was having another good Regionals this year. "I wasn't nervous at all," said Gus. I didn't try anything fancy. I played the Italian game but most of my opponents knew how to play it." Gus said his best move was a round three discovered attack when he sacced a bishop but netted a queen."  In the end again Gus didn't lose a single game, but just like last year he had one draw. "The draw was a rook ending. I missed a mate. Oops."  The no loss, one draw finish netted Gus a second place finish for the second Regional in a row. His record against the best players of West Texas is now nine wins, no losses and two draws. Gus also finished the Scholastic Chess League with the most wins. So what has this all taught him?  "When I see a good move, I need to look deeper because I can always find a better move." 
     
    With the first and second place finishers, a first place team trophy was assured, but many other players had at least three wins too. 
     
    Joaquin Gil finished with four wins and one loss. "I had some easy wins," Joaquin said. "I went on the attack right away and got ahead early." He said he played the Four Knights Opening but one opponent hit him with a surprise opening. "I had to come up with a different plan," he said.
     
    Ewan MacDonald finished with three wins and a draw. "I played the London system, but I didn't have many opportunities," he said, lamenting that "I played too fast."
     
    Evan Walker also finished with three wins and a draw. "Someone played the Caro-Kann against me," he said. Before he could set up his opening I attacked and won his queen," About his draw, Evan said," I was lucky to stalemate."
     
    Two fourth graders who started this year as absolute beginners but ended the season as strong players on the Trinity team were Christianne Meyer and Charles Dorman. They each finished with three wins and a draw. "I was confident," said Christianne. "My opponents were all new people to me, but they all played stuff I was used to. I lost the first game even though I was even the whole game. I just missed a checkmate. The second game I stalemated. I was so mad at myself." The next three games were all wins for Christianne. "They were all easy," she said. "A Caro-Kann, an English, and a Sicilian." She said when she looks at each position, "I look at the board like a puzzle."
     
    Charles also finished with three wins and a draw. "My first game was easy. I took all his pieces," Charles said.  "Most of the stuff I had seen before," so no surprises, but a lesson in competitiveness may be needed when discussing his draw. "I took her queen. She offered a draw and I accepted because I felt bad for her." 
     
    Other Trinity players who had three points were Pearson Doyle, Tonny Patrick, Rowan Baker and Kelly Xie. It was a strong team effort.
     
    These games were longer than any games the Chargers have played before and quite a few of the players complained that the time limit was too long. That view was best summed by Micah Griffin who finished with two wins and a draw. "I could have been trying to beat Legend of Zelda Breath Of The Wild," Micah said.
     
     
     
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  • Grade 6-8 Chess Team

    Charlie Vetter
    The sixth through eighth grade Trinity chess team had the toughest assignment of the Charger teams at the West Texas Regionals for a couple of reasons.

    First, for some weird rules decision, Trinity's sixth graders had to play in the 7-8th grade section since Trinity calls them middle schoolers, while everyone else's sixth graders played in the 6th and under section.  Also Goddard had a very large team pretty much guaranteeing them a first place finish.

    Meanwhile the Chargers had to call in a last minute player, Mateo Gil to even make a four man team to try to get a second place finish beating larger teams.

    Sixth grader Katie Li played first board all year for the Trinity sixth grade and under team in the Midland Scholastic Chess League and led the Chargers to their ninth straight undefeated season. It was a step up for Katie to play seventh and eighth graders, but she still led the team winning four of her five games and finishing in a tie for second place.   "I honestly wasn't that nervous, " Katie explained. "I was comfortable playing the Sicialian and English Openings."  She said her best game was the fourth round matchup which went to an endgame. "It was a difficult endgame. I used a lot of time and figured it out."  She remembered her one loss clearly. "I was ahead by a bit. I moved a pawn and didn't see he had a battery lined up behind it."

    Seventh grader Kasen Shepherd also had a strong tournament. "I didn't recognize any of the kids I played," Kasen said, "but they all played basic openings."  Kasen said his best move was sacrificing a rook. If his opponent took the rook, he had a checkmate planned, and it worked out just like he planned it. He said his most difficult game was the game that ended up drawn. When asked what made that opponent especially difficult, Kasen patiently explained that "he had glasses."  Kasen called one of his moves "an eight or nine on the 10 point bad move meter." That was when he put his queen right in front of a knight.

    Sixth grader Jervin Ewusie had an interrupted interview as he was playing football at recess while answering questions. "I was pretty nervous until I won my first game," Jervin said. He was explaining that his best move of the tournament was when he unleashed a discovered attack which led to checkmate, but before he could give the details he took off to make a tackle. Kids these days.

    Eighth grader Mateo Gil was called in at the last minute to complete the Charger team. "I was trying to keep my cool," Mateo said. "I knew I needed to get some points for my team so I was nervous."Mateo said he played the Scotch Gambit and the King's Indian Openings. He claimed a triple fork as his best move but was frustrated one game when he was ahead and ended up getting checkmated. "I was all cocky. I should have ended it quicker."

    It didn't look too good going into the fifth round, but everyone's favorite team had a clutch final round going undefeated with three wins and a draw to finish in second place by a single point.
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  • Upper School Chess West Texas Regionals

    Charlie Vetter
    For the Trinity Upper School chess team, the West Texas Regionals brought a couple of different goals.
     
    The West Texas Regionals brought together over 170 of the best chess playing students throughout West Texas from Odessa to close to Dallas.
     
    One goal was finishing first in the team competition which meant beating rival Legacy High School which recently won the Midland City Championship with Trinity finishing second. The second goal was a personal one for Trinity's top player Tobias Slatken who finished second in the Regionals last year and is the highest US Chess Federation rated player in the Region.
     
    It turned out to be an exciting event for the Chargers as three of their six players were playing in their first rated tournament, and all three turned in scores of three wins out of five games, a tremendous result for their first tournament. 
     
    "It was good fun," said Thomas Pardo about his first rated event. Explaining why the team did so well, he deadpanned , "We're just that good."  He said the tournament was "very long. I never played 30 minute chess before," but he wasn't surprised by the play. "Everyone played basic moves," he said.
     
    Bawi Bik was another player playing in his first rated tournament and also scored three wins.  "I was distracted by having to write down the moves," Bawi said. As far as the games went though, he agreed with Thomas. "The games were good. Mostly double-king pawn openings like the Ruy Lopez, so I wasn't surprised."
     
    Being a big shot senior, Monty Campbell was already done with school when these interviews were done, so the only thing to do is what any good journalist would do in this situation, make up quotes of what he probably would have said if he were here to be interviewed.  When asked about his three wins, Monty would have said, "whether it's intercepting a pass on the football field or blocking a discovered attack with a pawn push, the answer has to be being the best you can be by being balanced just like making the best pizza in Midland has to balance just the right amount of sauce with the perfect sweetness of the crust, and just like you can get your bishop trapped in your opponent's position, you can also add one too many pieces of pineapple, and drop the easy interception."
     
    Meanwhile Tobias was winning his games though each one was going to a tough endgame as he played every top player in the tournament. Playing against Greenwood's top player, Tobias said, "I got hit by a surprise in the opening. I was able to exploit his weak d5 square and eventually won a pawn." Next up was Legacy High's top player and this time it was the Trompowsky Attack. "I sacced a rook which won me two pawns. I knew the opening. In fact I looked at it ahead of time," he said. Going into the last round, Tobias had four wins and no losses. 
     
    The last game was a titanic struggle that went on for well longer than an hour and drew a throng of onlookers including the judges and other top players. At one point Tobias looked to be in trouble as a rook got to his seventh rank. He sacrificed a rook to get rid of the rook and stay even. When the game was later put into the chess.com computer the rook sacrifice came back as a "brilliancy". The game stayed even after that with Tobias having two bishops for two knights which is considered a slight advantage, but what to do with it? While Tobias tried different attempts at a breakthrough, his opponent built a fortress and offered  draws. With both hands holding his head, Tobias kept turning down the draw offers while he tried to strain an attacking idea from his brain. Then the crowd was shocked when the game ended in a flash. Tobias didn't look at the clock for just a second and his flag fell, meaning he lost on time. That crushing loss gave Tobias a second straight second place finish in the Regionals.
     
    While Tobias was torturing himself trying to get a win in an even position, Gavin Dorfner, Trinity's number two player was involved in his own super important game against the Legacy player who finished second to Tobias in the Midland City Championship just a few weeks before. "I was so nervous that last game," Gavin said. A win would bring him into a second place tie in the Regionals with four wins. The win would also give Trinity the team competition. A loss would have put Trinity just behind Legacy again. "All my games went down to endgames," Gavin said The one game I lost I just should have pushed my pawn one move earlier. Gavin also experimented with a new opening that he's been practicing lately It's called the Bird's Opening and it starts by moving a very unusual pawn. The story is that an Englishman, Grandmaster Bird had bad eyesight and would often move the wrong pawn by mistake so the opening was named after him. Anyway, Gavin said, "I played the Bird. I lost a pawn in the opening and I quit playing the Bird." In the fifth round game against the Legacy player, Gavin said "I pinned his king and queen in the endgame and was able to win it."  That win meant the Chargers won the first place High School championship by one point thanks to Gavin's last round win."
     
    "It was a good tournament. We won," said Tobias.
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  • May

    I-20 Paid Conservation Job Corps

    The I-20 Wildlife Preserve and Jenna Welch Nature Study Center is providing a paid conservation job corps this summer from June 26-July 22, 2023 for high school students in grades 10-12. The job corps is from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Monday through Friday except the weekly field trips and the final field trip. The application period is from May 24 until June 5 with a follow up interview.
     
    The purpose of the conservation job corps is to allow students to take a rigorous look at biology and the sciences as a possible education and career path.
     
    The curriculum will explore different ecosystems around the state of Texas and will include hands on conservation work at the I-20 Wildlife Preserve, classroom study, and weekly day field trips in west Texas with a final 10-day field trip to various places around Texas.
     
    Please use the below link to fill out a preliminary application. You will be contacted by the organization for an interview.
    Please contact Dr. Wetendorf or Elaine Magruder (432) 889-7996 with any questions. 
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  • Have a great summer! 

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  • Trimester 3 Exam Schedule

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  • Debate Awards all around

    Brock McNeel '24 and Ezekiel Bajomo '24 achieved the award of Academic All American in Speech & Debate for their grades and total number of points they received during tournaments this year.

    While Rachel Merryman was named the National Speech & Debate Association's 2023 National High School New Coach of the Year! We are so glad you are a Trinity teacher! 

    Congratulations, Chargers!
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  • Middle School Awards

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  • Special Chapel & Grade 4 Send-Off

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  • Upper School Awards

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  • Field Day - Early Dismissal

    Preschool Field Day
    Friday, May 19 from 9:00-11:00 a.m.
    Students will be dismissed immediately after.
    Preschool students who attend CEC are welcome to come back for CEC care beginning at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, May 19. Please do not bring students back any earlier so that we can ensure ample staffing is available. 

    Lower School Field Day
    Thursday, May 18 from 8:30-11:00 a.m.

    Carpool will run at regular pick up locations for Kinder through Grade Four at 11:00 

    Lower School students who attend CEC after school are welcome to come back to campus at 3:00 p.m. for their scheduled CEC time. Please do not bring students back any earlier so that we can ensure ample staffing is available. 

    CEC will run a normal schedule on the 18th and 19th for infants, toddlers, and two-year-olds. 
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  • Kindergarten Graduation Livestream

    For those unable to attend in person, the ceremony will be live streamed. Please use the link below to access the event virtually. 
     
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  • Dress Code May 17 and 19

    Middle school students MAY wear Friday wear on Wednesday, May 17th. Students MUST wear Wednesday dress on Friday, May 19th.
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  • Sign Up for Summer Volleyball Camp

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  • Middle School Strength and Conditioning Camp

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  • Strength and Conditioning Camp

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  • Strength and Conditioning Camp

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  • Upper School Strength and Conditioning Camp

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  • Congratulations Golf Team!

    The golf team had a great showing at the TAPPS 3A State Tournament. Andrew McWilliams '24 brought came home as State Champion, and the boys team finished 3rd overall. Congratulations! 
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  • Summer Reading

    CLICK HERE to view the Summer Reading Lists for Preschool and Lower School. Make sure to stop by the Barnes and Noble Book Fair May 12th and 13th or online through May 18th and support Trinity! All book purchases will benefit Trinity, so invite friends and grandparents to buy a book and support our school. Visit
    bn.com/bookfairs to support us online from 05/12 to 05/18 by entering Bookfair ID 12649729 at checkout.
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  • Summer Reading Lists

    CLICK HERE to view the Summer Reading Lists for Preschool and Lower School. Make sure to stop by the Barnes and Noble Book Fair May 12th and 13th or online through May 18th and support Trinity! All book purchases will benefit Trinity, so invite friends and grandparents to buy a book and support our school. Visit
    bn.com/bookfairs to support us online from 05/12 to 05/18 by entering Bookfair ID 12649729 at checkout.
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  • Recorders & Ukuleles

    Parents of 3rd-Graders:  Please return home practice recorders to school between May 8-11. Please label the recorder with your child's name on a piece of masking tape to ensure that it is credited to your student as having been returned. Your child may bring this to the music room before school in the morning.
     
    Parents of 4th-Graders:  If your child has a Trinity practice ukulele at home, please return it to school between May 8-11. Your child may bring this to the music room before school in the morning.
     
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  • Tennis Team Scores at MISD Tournament

    The Middle School tennis team brought home lots of medals from the MISD tournament at Bush Tennis Center. Athletes placed 1st, 2nd, or won the consolation bracket. Go Chargers!
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  • April

    All Saints Chapel Prefect Applications - DUE TODAY

    S. Weisenfels
    All Saints Chapel Prefect Applications are open for all current Grade 6 and 7 Students for MS Chapel, and all current Grade 9,10, and 11 Students for US Chapel.  Applications are due April 28 at 4pm.  You can learn more about Prefect expectations and responsibilities and fill out the application here.  Have questions?  Contact Shannon Weisenfels sweisenfels@trinitymidland.org.
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  • Good Luck Golf Team

    The Boys Golf Team and Hadley W. '23 will make their way to the State Tournament next week. Please wish these Chargers good luck!
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  • Morgan & the I Can't Monster: My Mindset Matters

    C. Timmons
    Monday, May 1st, local LPC, Teresa Porath, will read her new book, "Morgan & the I Can't Monster: My Mindset Matters" to K-2. Purchase a signed copy of her book ahead of time by filling out this form.
    Read More
  • Soundsuit Parade

    Join Grades 2-4 for a parade through campus!
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  • State Tennis Tournament

    The girls doubles team placed 2nd! Congratulations to Gigi M. '25 and Joanna T. '25 for winning silver medals.
    Read More
  • ACU Makes a Visit to Trinity

    Upper School students were visited by faculty, students, and staff from Abilene Christian University's Department of Engineering and Physics this week.
    Read More
  • You're Invited to a Soundsuit Parade

    Read More
  • Charger Track

    Congratulations to the track team for a great showing in Lubbock.
    Sophie S. '23: 1st in the 400 and 3rd in the 200
    Sophia K. '23: 2nd in the 100
    Ezekiel B. '24 : 4th in the 200
    Kristin G. '24: 3rd in the 3200
    McKyna P. '26: 8th in the Triple Jump
    Luke E. '23: 8th in the Shot Put
    Girls Team: 4th Overall
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  • Middle School Band TAPPS Contest

    The Middle School Grades 7 and 8 Band performed at the Middle School TAPPS Contest on March 30th at Legacy High School and received a Sweepstakes award for all Division 1's in both Concert and Sightreading performances. Congrats to the Middle School Band!
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  • Glow Party Photos

    Check out photos from the Grades 7 & 8 Glow Party by clicking this link! Thanks to TCA for organizing such a fun event.
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  • Chargers Stand Out at District Tennis Tournament

    Congratulations to the Charger tennis team for their performance at the District Tournament.

    Lucas K. '25 and Raj S. '23 placed 3rd in doubles and Joshua S. '25 and Shine Y. '24 placed 6th.
     
    Ray Q. '25 placed 4th and Thomas P. '26 placed 8th in boys singles.
     
    Joanna T. '25 and Gigi M. '25 came in second in girls doubles while Emily M. '23 and Katelyn D. '23 placed 7th.
     
    Siqi Z. '23 placed 7th in girls singles and sister Enqi Z. '26 fell just short to place. 
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  • Grades 2-4 Music Demonstration

    Save the Date!  You are invited to attend your child's class music demonstration. Your kids will show you what they have been learning this year, and may even invite you to participate alongside them! Come ready to have fun! 
     
    Here is the schedule:




    As always, If you have any questions, please feel free to email Mrs. Markgraf at smarkgraf@trinitymidland.org.
     
    Looking forward to seeing you!
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  • Chess Update

    C. Vetter
    When the chess season started this year, fifth grader Pearson Doyle said his goal was to keep Trinity's undefeated streak going for a ninth straight year. With one game to go in the season, it looks like that streak will be extended for another year as everyone's favorite team won a match-up with the also undefeated homeschool team by a count of 37-14.
     
    Leading the team on board one all season was sixth grader Katie Li. Katie had to play the top three players from each team every week and won 14 of her 18 games. "I had pretty good games all year on board one," Katie said. She said her most interesting game was playing the board two homeschooler. "I was down," she said. "I was close to losing, but he was going after a pawn. Instead of taking back, I set up a checkmate with my bishop and queen." Katie will move up to the Upper School team next year, which she said she was "okay with." Lately she's been working on the French Defense, but it's a very complicated opening, and she said she isn't ready to use it in competition yet.
     
    Holding down board two for the Chargers was fifth grader Ollie Mathewson who won 12 of his 15 games. He said his best move of the year was against the homeschooler board one. "I  saw a queen sac that led to a mate in five. I was proud of that. He also tried to trick me in the end by saccing his rook to get a perpetual, but I saw it and moved my king up."  Ollie specialized in precise endgame play to win some of his toughest matches. Ollie is heading to Austin to play in a tournament soon which will cause him to miss two days of school. Surprisingly, he wasn't happy to miss the days. "It's not good that I'm missing, but I want to play chess."
     
    Joaquin Gil is another of the fifth graders who may be the deepest class Trinity has ever had. While Ollie is a careful endgame specialist, Joaquin is a slashing attacker. I try to checkmate by surprise," he said. " I could tell I got better this year."
     
    Another fifth grader who improved this year is Gus Padgett. Gus won 18 games and lost three. When asked how the season went, he shrugged and said, "It was good." He said his favorite opening was Ponziani's because it is "very aggressive and full of traps." He said he wants to learn the Fried Liver Attack which is another very aggressive opening. Gus said his best move of the year was against Bunche Elementary. "I sacced my knight and bishop to force his king away from his queen. I got the queen."
     
    Pearson proved he can win in the clutch when he took first place in Regionals in San Angelo last year. He said this year he played the Scandinavian Opening. He said he didn't practice enough during the summer so he came in rusty. He said next year he wants top work on getting his pieces developed quicker. His best move of the year was when he pulled a bishop backward to take a queen.
     
    A new fifth grader to the school this year was Ewan MacDonald. Ewan won 18 of his 21 games, and by the end of the year he moved up to board three. "It was really fun, " Ewan said of the season. "At the beginning of the year I barely knew how to play. Now I'm pretty good." In the battle of the undefeateds, Ewan won one game with a discovered check. I moved my knight to check, and my bishop won his queen," he said. The game he remembers the most though is the one he lost to a homeschooler. "I took a pawn. His queen threatened a back row mate - even if I took his rook, I still got backrank mated. He sacced the pawn on purpose." What did he learn from that loss? "If your opponent sacs a piece, stop and analyze."
     
    Evan Walker won 17 of his 19 games this year. His best move was when he sacced his queen on purpose to uncover his opponent's back rank which led to a mate.  For next year, Evan said he wants to see more discovered attacks.  As for his best games of the year, Evan said he didn't remember anything because he was eating Italian Ice and had brain freeze.
     
    One of the team's best fifth graders, Barrett Johnson, spent much of the year on the disabled list. He was undefeated for the year but missed almost all of the matches due to schedule conflicts, baseball games, then there was the unfortunate crocodile attack. For the all important game against the undefeated homeschoolers it looked good until he was called away for important business in Washington D.C. 
     
    Tom Zmigrosky was the leader of the group of fourth graders this year who had to step up to higher boards. Tom played at a high board last year and moved up even higher this year. "It was fine," he said. He had an exciting game against the homeschoolers where his opponent skewered his king and queen with a rook. That was shattering, but after a long battle, Tom won anyway. How did he do it? "I made good moves," he said.
     
    Maggie Berry took a big step up this year. She won 12 games, only lost one, but had five draws which were mostly her stalemating. The game she remembers the most was the first game against Bunche Elementary. "He kept attacking, I kept defending and picking off pieces. When I finally got my rook and queen out, I was able to go on the attack and win." She said someone needs to teach her the Sicilian Defense for next year.
     
    Micah Griffith was another fourth grader who took a step up this year. "I mostly annihilated the other teams," he said, "and I want to learn more mates with different pieces," he said. 

    Charles Dorman was another fourth grader who took a big step to become a regular on the team. "It was fun except the other players need to be worse so I can beat them all," he mused. His best game he said he used the Carter. "He defended for a few moves, but once I was able to get my rook in the game I was able to destroy him," he said.
     
    Christianne Meyer summed up the season for some of the players when she said she wants to learn "new openings and tricks," but the season went "pretty well. My mind has expanded in so many different ways."
     
    This year is likely to be the last year for coach Vetter as Trinity has turned down his $14 million team option year.  A trade to the Jets looks likely as the two sides are far apart on a long term contract.
     
    The team has one match to go against Bunche, and then it's time to get ready for Regionals which will be held in Midland this year on Saturday, May 13, which coincidentally is also International Hummus Day.
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  • Easter Holiday

    Trinity School will be closed today in observance of Good Friday and Monday, April 10 for Easter Monday. We hope you enjoy the holiday weekend.
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  • March

    Congratulations to the Charger Tennis Team

    The Charger tennis team had a great tournament in Odessa while facing 45-mile plus hour wind gusts!

    Check out the results:
    Joanna T. '25 and Gigi M. '25: 5th
    Raj S. '23 and Lucas K. '25: 6th
    Ray Q. '25: 9th
    Katelyn D. '23 and Cici Z. '23: 9th
    Joshua S. '25 and Shine Y. '24: 10th
    Justin B. '23 and Rayven '26: 11th
    Angie Z. '26: 11th
    Lauren B. '25 & Marshall M. '26: Mixed Consolation Winners
    Thomas P. '26: Singles Consolation Winner
    Read More
  • Kindergarten Graduation Photos

    Kindergarten Graduation portraits will be taken Wednesday, April 12. We ask for all Kindergarten students to arrive to school wearing a white, collared uniform shirt that day. Students will be wearing the mortar board cap and tassel in their picture, so please be mindful of hair styles for that day. (no bows, ponytails, etc.)

    To order your graduates portrait, please fill out the hard copy of the order form that will be sent home today, or order online at Camposportraits.com and use the access code: X63EY9
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  • OLSAT Testing

    On Monday, April 4 Kindergarten, Grade 3, and Grade 6 students will take the Otis Lennon School Ability Test 
    This assessment is a snapshot of a student's academic ability on one given day and is used to inform our instructional practices and as a tool with which we compare other assessment data.  The assessment will be given during the Language Arts block, and there is nothing students need to do to prepare for it, other than getting a good night's rest the night before and having a good breakfast.  
     
    We will share this testing information with parents when it becomes available.  
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  • Preschool Easter Egg Hunts

    Students in Preschool and Kindergarten are invited to wear Easter outfits to school and bring an Easter basket on Thursday, April 6 for their Easter Egg Hunts.
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  • Grades 5 & 6 Social

    TCA
    Read More
  • Grades 7 & 8 Social

    TCA
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  • Upper School Spring Break Trip

    Upper School students who participated in the Spring Break Trip toured Paris and Strasbourg in France, and Southern Bavaria, Munich, and Fussen in Germany. Thanks to Mr. Midkiff for organizing such a great trip!
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  • Beside That Windmill - Author & Illustrator to Present Book

     
    Longtime local educator and children's book author Minda Parks, together with local artist, Don Parks, will present their recently published book Beside that Windmill, to Trinity Lower School students in grades 2, 3, and 4 on Monday, March 27. 
     
    If you are interested in purchasing an autographed copy of the book, use the QR code below or click this link. The book will be delivered on March 27. 
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  • Upper School Expeditionary Learning Photos

    It's been a great week of Expeditionary Learning in Upper School. Click here to view photos from the trips and Life 101! 
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  • Middle School P.E.

    T. Flowers
    Middle School students have been working on their jump rope skills! Click on the "Middle School P.E." headline to view more photos!
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  • Reminder: No School Today for Grade 7 Students

    H. Cloud
    As a reminder, there will be no school for Grade 7 students today due to the late return from their Expeditionary Learning Trip.
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  • Texting/Posting on Social Media Platforms

    C. Brown, M. Irwin, C. Timmons
    Parents, 
    More and more Lower School children these days have devices (iPads, tablets, iPhones, etc) and use them to communicate with their peers across several platforms including iMessage, Roblox, YouTube, and Minecraft. We encourage families to start having conversations early about appropriate technology use and online communication. Before children press send or post messages online, it may be helpful for them to THINK about these things:


    It may also be helpful to help children understand that communication is most effective face to face.  A good rule of thumb is, "If you wouldn't say it to them in person, don't say it through a text (or other online platform)."
     
    We hope to share more resources with parents over the coming weeks about navigating and parenting in the ever-changing world of technology.  
     
    Thank you,
    Carrie Brown
    Christen Timmons
    Megan Irwin
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  • Baseball Team Wins First Home Game

    The home opener was a win for the Charger baseball team! Make plans to attend the next game against Midland Christian JV Red at Timlin Baseball Field at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 20.

    Timlin Baseball Field
    2101 E. Cuthbert Ave.
    Midland, TX 79706 
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  • Gear Robotics Trial

    E. Adamson
    Attention Lower School Robotics Team!
    Please find the information below for this Saturday's Gear Robotics Trial. 

    Saturday, March 4
    Doors Open: 8:00 am
    Start: 8:30am
    End: 12:00pm
    Location: Carver Center
     
    Students will spend the morning practicing the robotics course and getting feedback to improve their performance in the final competition.

    CLICK HERE to view the Parking Map
    CLICK HERE for the Media Release. Please fill out the form and email or send to school with your child to be returned to Mrs. Adamson before the event.
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  • The Chemistry of Toys

    R. Stump
    Grade 10 students completed a project around the Chemistry of Toys. They investigated the elements and bonds that play a role in toy creation!

    Click "The Chemistry of Toys" header to view more photos of the projects.
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  • February

    Gear Robotics Trial

    E. Adamson
    Attention Middle School Robotics Team!
    Please find the information below for this Saturday's Gear Robotics Trial. 

    Saturday, March 4
    Please arrive at 12:00pm when the doors open.
    Start: 12:30pm
    End: 4:00pm
    Location: Carver Center
     
    Students will spend the morning practicing the robotics course and getting feedback to improve their performance in the final competition. 

    CLICK HERE to view the Parking Map
    CLICK HERE for the Media Release. Please fill out the form and email or send to school with your child to be returned to Mrs. Adamson before the event.
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  • Change to Next Week's Schedule

    There is a change to next week's schedule. Wednesday, March 1 will be a "C" day and Friday, March 3 will be an "A" day.
    Read More
  • Conference Day - Wednesday, March 1

    Conference Day for Lower and Middle Schools is Wednesday, March 1. There will be no classes held for these students next Wednesday. Upper School will have a "C" day.
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  • Spring Athletics Photos

    Spring sports pictures are coming up! Upper and Middle School athletes will get their individual and team pictures taken during their sports time, and a link will be sent out afterward to order.
     
    Monday 2/27 - Track 
    Tuesday 2/28 - Tennis 
    Wednesday 3/1 - Baseball 
    Monday 3/6 - Golf 
     
    Please contact Katie Boyd (ktclayboyd@gmail.com) with questions.
     
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  • Tall Cotton District Tournament

    Coach Stump was named the District New Coach of the Year!

    Additionally, these students qualified for the National Speech & Debate Tournament that will be held in Phoenix, AZ over the summer.

    Congressional Debate (House)
    Lucas Kim '25

    Informative Speaking
    Ezekiel Bajomo '24

    Public Forum Debate
    Hadley Whytlaw '23 & Brock McNeel. '24
    Sophie-Grace Campbell '25 & Justin Blaylock '23

    The team also won the Congressional Debate Sweepstakes! Congratulations, Chargers! 
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  • Closed for Presidents Day

    We will be closed Monday, February 20 and will see all Chargers back on campus next Tuesday, February 21.
    Read More
  • National School Counseling Week

    K. Garcia
    We just completed National School Counseling week. I think today is great time to remind you
    that Trinity School cares about your child’s social and emotional wellbeing as much as we do
    their academic success. Statistically speaking anxiety is at an all time high across the world.
    Sadly, teens are not exempt from that. In fact, in a recent survey 36% of teens 9-12th grade
    indicated moderate to severe anxiety symptoms. Anxiety affects female students at a higher rate
    (47%) than male students, but 21% of male students also reported experiencing anxiety
    symptoms. Anxiety can look differently from person to person. Some may experience excessive
    worry, restlessness, or fatigue while others may have trouble concentrating, irritability, trouble
    sleeping, or muscle tension. As the counselor of the Upper School, I am here to help your students
    work through some of these issues as it relates to school and help ensure that even outside
    anxieties do not affect school, their relationships, or their performance. I can also help with
    referrals to outside resources when needed.

    Please feel free to reach out to me anytime by calling the front office 432-697-3281 or by email
    kgarcia@trinitymidland.org

    Khrystal Garcia
    Director of Wellness
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  • Swim Team at the State Meet

    The swim team had a strong finish to the year. Alexandra A. finished 4th in the 200 & 100 Freestyle, and Luis V. finished 3rd in the 500 Freestyle & 100 Butterfly at the State Meet.
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  • Wrong Answers Only (Math Department Update)

    C. Vollet
    The value of being wrong is often underrated in the mathematics classroom. You may or may not be familiar with the internet meme “Wrong Answers Only” where you are presented with a question prompting you to reply with the “best answer”. The twist is that the best answer has to be completely wrong, often resulting in hilarious and unexpected responses. 

    In the fall, the Upper School Math Department attended the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Annual Meeting and Exposition in Los Angeles. We were all excited to be able to return to in-person collaboration and conferences after a long spell of non-attendance and virtual conferences. Each of us left with new ideas and inspiration for our classrooms. Some of the ideas will take longer to implement and research, but I always try to leave with one idea that I can start using immediately. 

    I attended a talk given by Dan Meyer, the current director of Research at Desmos (if your child has me as their teacher, they will probably make a joke about how much I love Desmos). During the presentation called “Math Without Mistakes,” he made the argument that there is more to learn from wrong answers than we usually assume. One of the great teaching strategies that I took away was “Wrong Answers Only”. Let me give you an example of how it might be used on a word problem:

    “Two cars start 100 miles apart on the same road. One car is traveling east at 50 miles per hour, the other is traveling west at 60 miles per hour. How long will it take for them to reach each other?”

    There are two camps of readers right now: Those who have shut down and given up, and those who have already tried to start solving the problem. But I’d like to suggest a third approach: “Wrong Answers Only”. Try to think of a solution that you know is absolutely wrong. Like so wrong that it’s ridiculous. How about 1,000,000 hours? That’s obviously wrong.  Even the most reluctant student can come up with a wrong answer. But why would we want a deliberate wrong answer? There are two main reasons: it encourages participation from a broader population of students and it gives the teacher insight into what students do understand about the problem. The biggest mistake that most students make when trying to solve a word problem is immediately trying to write an equation before they really understand the situation. Wrong Answer Only slows down the problem solving process intentionally. 

    Now, there is obviously a difference between deliberate wrong answers and unintentional wrong answers. There are right answers and wrong answers, but there is a lot of gray area in between. There are wrong answers with great logic and reasoning and there are “right” answers with incorrect logic, bad reasoning, or just a bit of luck. The ability to recognize that an answer is wrong is an important step to understanding the problem and a skill that should be highlighted and valued. The next time your child is stuck on a math problem, try asking them for “Wrong Answers Only” and have them explain to you why their answer is wrong. 
    In case you were wondering, there are lots of fantastic wrong answers to the question I posed: 0 hours, 200 hours, 500 miles, or 700 pancakes. The right answer was approximately 54 minutes and 32.7 seconds.
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  • Playoff Bound

    Good luck to the varsity boys basketball team as they head to the first round of playoffs today!
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  • St. John's College Summer Classic Seminar for Rising Seniors

    Dr. Wetendorf
    Greetings!

    St. John’s College in Santa Fe has an excellent opportunity for rising seniors to participate in their Summer Classics Seminar. Trinity School has a partnership with St. John’s College which allows two of our students to receive a full tuition scholarship for their in-person summer program and a full tuition scholarship for two of our students for their online summer program. If you are interested, please apply online and email Dr. Wetendorf at twetendorf@trinitymidland.org with your intention to attend one of the summer programs that are offered. This is a great intensive summer reading program and something that can look great on those college resumes. St. John’s College offers an exceptional liberal arts undergraduate education and wonderful scholarship opportunities for students wanting to attend after high school. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.

    Best,
    Dr. Wetendorf 
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  • The Big Questions: Weekly Encouragement for MS Parents

    Chaplain Weisenfels
    This week in our MS Chapel series The Big Questions we explored the question “Who Am I?” We looked at the story of the five loaves and two fish in John 6:1-15 and talked about how Jesus took what didn’t seem like enough and made it into more than enough.  Our big takeaway from this lesson is “You’re made in the image of God.  You don’t have to prove you’re enough.”  
    Please take time this weekend to share with your children something about who they are (for ex. you’re a great example to your friends, you’re funny like your grandmother, I’m so proud that you’re my son).  It’s good to make a Middle Schooler squirm with affirmation every so often. Most importantly, remind them that you love them, you are proud of them, and they are enough.  MS is not easy, and moms and dads, being a MS parent is not easy.  Hear this message for yourselves and take it to heart:  "You don’t have to prove your enough.  You are enough.” The Lord is with you. 
     
    Have questions about our series?  Contact Chaplain Weisenfels any time. 
     
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  • Valentine's Day Attire

    Students are welcome to wear Valentine’s colors as long as clothing falls in line with dress code guidelines. Seniors will be delivering Valentine’s to classes throughout the day. 
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  • Become a Trinity Cheerleader

    Coach Dickie
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  • ERB Test Grades 2-4

    C. Brown
    Dear Lower School Parents,

    Grades 2 through 4 will take the CTP5, often referred to as the ERB (published by the Educational Records Bureau), during the week of February 6th through 9th. This standardized test is administered by independent schools across the nation and is used to gather information about the school’s instructional program and individual student data. We will test during the morning academic blocks on Monday through Thursday.
     
    Individual reports detailing each child’s level of understanding in critical areas of the curriculum and verbal and quantitative reasoning skills are generated from this test. This assessment provides the school with information to help guide our instructional goals.
     
    We must all keep in mind that scores on a standardized achievement test are only one benchmark of your child’s learning and progress. Unlike high-stakes testing, there is no preparation for the CTP5.  However, a good night's sleep and a hearty breakfast will fuel the brain to work at its best.

    If an absence occurs due to illness or a family emergency, we will schedule a time during the school day for your child to make up the missed sections of the test. Please try to avoid scheduling outside appointments during the mornings this week. 

    Parents will receive copies of the scores once they are available. Once you receive them, please schedule an appointment for guidance on interpreting the results, if needed.

    Respectfully, 

    Carrie Brown
    Head of Lower School
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  • ERB Test Grades 5-7

    H. Cloud
    Dear Middle School Parents,

    Grades 5 through 7 will take the CTP5, often referred to as the ERB (published by the Educational Records Bureau), during the week of February 6th - 9th. This standardized test is administered by independent schools across the nation and is used to gather information about the school’s instructional program and individual student data. We will test from 8:00-9:35 a.m. Monday-Thursday.  
     
    Individual reports detailing each child’s level of understanding in critical areas of the curriculum and verbal and quantitative reasoning skills are generated from this test. This assessment provides the school with information to help guide our instructional goals.
     
    We must all keep in mind that scores on a standardized achievement test are only one benchmark of your child’s learning and progress. Unlike high-stakes testing, there is no preparation for the CTP5. However, a good night's sleep and a hearty breakfast will fuel the brain to work at its best.

    If an absence occurs due to illness or a family emergency, we will schedule a time during the school day for your child to make up the missed sections of the test.

    Parents will receive copies of the scores once they are available. Once you receive them, please schedule an appointment for guidance on interpreting the results, if needed.
     
    Eighth grade students will be working on their time capsules with their advisors while the other grade levels are testing.  An email will be sent later this week with more information. 

    Respectfully, 
     
    Holly Cloud
    Acting Head of Middle School
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  • The Power of Expeditionary Learning

    T. Jones
    This years’ Upper School Expeditionary Learning trips will be here soon. The week before spring break is when we traditionally venture off in grades 9-11 and leave the campus to our seniors for their Life 101 experience. Expeditionary Learning is an important component of the Trinity School experience.  As a school, we value these experiences and build them into our academic calendar.  Therefore, participation is expected. Let me explain more about what we believe every student needs to participate in these trips.

    Regardless of how intentional schools are in the design of daily educational and co-curricular experiences -- crafting activities both in and out of the classroom that are appropriately challenging, engaging, and fun--there are certain things that just cannot be covered in a traditional classroom and experiences that we cannot replicate on campus. This is one of the primary reasons that Expeditionary Learning trips are planned and prioritized each year at Trinity. 

    These activities take a variety of forms: from investigating early civilizations in New Mexico—representing thousands of years of human development and millions of years of geological history—to exposure to a variety of college opportunities as students begin the process of thinking about their personal futures, to symbolically encouraging students to take a leap of faith by jumping off the cliffs above the Nueces River or traversing one of the state’s longest zip lines. This formal program culminates with our Life 101 program where students are introduced to a variety of skills and strategies that will serve them well in their lives after graduation.

    Having led trips of this nature for over twenty years, I can vividly recall many examples of student success made possible through these adventures. Granted, some of the tasks can be difficult for students to try due to fear, anxiety, or just being out of their comfort zone. However, both anecdotally and philosophically I know that participating in new activities outside of our comfort zone helps students develop an aptitude for trying new things as well as an ability for facing challenges from a new perspective all while fostering a stronger commitment to personal growth and development.  

    Expeditionary Learning is a powerful tool that we use to enrich the everyday experience for the students at Trinity School. All of these experiences afford the participants the opportunity to grow as individuals, to build self-confidence, and to learn to take calculated risks. Expeditionary Learning allows students to build deeper relationships with their peers and the adults who guide them. The depth of this common experience can only be achieved through off-campus, expeditionary adventures. This version of experiential education forces students out of their comfort zone, causing them to be vulnerable and open with their classmates in the pursuit of challenging goals in unfamiliar territory. These activities help students build trust and a stronger sense of belonging to their community. Along the way, students also pick up skills and strategies that will remain with them throughout their lifelong learning journey.

    Grade 9: The Human Legacy

    9th graders will spend the week exploring and experiencing the historic and prehistoric cultures found across New Mexico, while participating in several different educational opportunities available there. From ancient cultures such as those found in Bandelier National Monument to the birth of the nuclear age at Bradbury Science Museum in Los Alamos, this trip spans thousands of years of human development. Students gain appreciation for geologic and human history time scales and see how the natural environment impacts human culture and vice versa. The trip also fosters students’ appreciation for the arts with trips to unique museums and a hands-on class in glass blowing.


    Grade 10: Personal Futures

    Sophomore students explore and experience a variety of educational and cultural opportunities available in Dallas and Fort Worth with a focus on visiting colleges in the area. Private and public institutions, as well as large and small schools, are included in the schedule to expose students to a wide range of college experiences. The Director of College Advising accompanies students on this trip so that he can begin the conversation about finding a “just right” school with each student. 


    Grade 11: Leap of Faith

    Juniors have the opportunity to enjoy the beauty and scenery of the Texas Hill Country juxtaposed with some unique individual and group challenges at Camp Eagle in Rocksprings. Utilizing this unique facility nestled at the headwaters of the Nueces River, participants complete activities that help them to grow as individuals, build self-confidence, and learn to take calculated risks. 

    Grade 12: Life 101

    Seniors will spend a week on and off campus exploring skills and strategies that will serve them well in their lives after graduation. Examples of topics covered include:
    • Self Defense (Permission Form Required)
    • First Aid and CPR Certification
    • AVERT: Active Violence Emergency Response Training
    • Auto Care, Auto Emergency Skills, Credit and Financing
    • College Living: Clothing Care, Dorm Hacks, Nutrition and Self Care
    • Communication Skills
    • Credit, Financing, and Budgeting
    Read More
  • January

    Celebrate Seniors at Jam the Gym

    Join us tonight for Senior Night celebrations, Blue Crew, Bounce Houses, Half-Time Games, Giveaways, Food, and Fun! Don't miss a great evening full of basketball as we celebrate our senior Chargers before each game. Students are invited to dress in "white-out" or wear basketball jerseys to school and to the games on Friday, February 3. Come hungry! For their BIGG Project, Grade 8 students will be hosting a chili cook off to raise money to purchase a goat to be given to The Field's Edge. 
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  • Congratulations to the Spelling Bee Winner - Katie L. '29

    We are proud of all of the students in Grades 4-8 who participated in this year's school-wide Spelling Bee. Congratulations to the Spelling Bee winner, Katie L. '29. She will go on to represent Trinity School in the Regional Bee on February 25th at Midland College

    Click on the title of the article to view all of the photos!
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  • January College Advising Update

    Dr. Wetendorf
    One of my favorite traditions here at Trinity School is having our annual First Semester in College Experience Alumni Panel event. During our first week after the holiday break Upper School students heard from the following Class of 2022 Trinity School alums:

    Ellery Baker- Baylor University
    Barry Cao- Texas A&M
    Cole Dinger- Texas A&M
    Connor Dixon- Tarleton State University 
    Madeline Hartman- Trinity University
    Sydney Laing- Angelo State University  
    Max Mouget- Texas A&M Galveston 
    Marrah Strickland- Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)
    Andrew Varner- Midland College 

    This was perhaps one of the more diverse panels that we have had in terms of the types of colleges attended and the different experiences each of the panelists has had so far while in college. Cole Dinger, for instance, attends Texas A&M University and is a member of the Core of Cadets. Cole was our first-ever panelist to attend Texas A&M’s Core of Cadets. In addition to the daily academic rigor of a school like Texas A&M, Cole participates in boot-camp-like physical activities and combat training exercises on the weekends. Marrah Strickland attends one of the premier art and design schools in the country. So many of the movies and television shows, advertisements, and videos that we all enjoy have likely had a SCAD student’s involvement in them. One of Marrah’s biggest highlights this past semester was meeting and hearing from actor Miles Teller. Many of you might remember this actor’s role as Goose’s son in the blockbuster movie Top Gun. Panelists also shared some of the different clubs and organizations that they are involved with at their respective colleges. Max Mouget, for instance, plays club soccer at Texas A&M Galveston and Connor Dixon plays club volleyball, despite both not having played either sport at Trinity. Ellery Baker talked about her involvement in the French Club at Baylor, where not too long ago, she participated in singing Christmas carols at Baylor’s annual Christmas on the 5th event. Madeline Hartman discussed what it was like to get involved and meet new people at a smaller college like Trinity University. Madeline seemingly found her niche in the performing arts and has developed a wonderful group of friends that share similar interests. Sydney Laing and Andrew Varner both spoke about the benefits and challenges of working a job while attending college. In addition to going to all of the football games, Barry Cao mentioned fishing by Kyle Field as one of his favorite go-to places to relax and recharge from the rigors of academic life at Texas A&M. In fact, all of the students on the panel talked about the importance of getting good quality sleep. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine published a great article on the benefits of sleep for college students that both parents and students should read before attending college. 

    The annual First Semester in College Experience Alumni Panel event was a wonderful opportunity for our current Trinity School students to gain insight into the college experience. In several conversations I have had with each member of the Class of 2022 there is always a consistent theme I find each year of doing this event: our students feel academically prepared for college. Our alums are always grateful for the impact that Trinity School teachers and staff have on fulfilling the mission of a college preparatory institution.
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  • 2022-2023 Classroom Spelling Bee Class Winners

    Mr. Benton
    Grade 4
    Kelly Xie
    Morise Sanni
    Elisabeth Dobson

    Grade 5
    Naveen Annamalai
    Rowan Baker
    Pearson Doyle

    Grade 6
    Kobi Orji
    Katie Li

    Grade 7
    Mahathi Chadalavada
    Ryker Graham
    Amica Larbi

    Grade 8
    Juan Hasiholan
    Alex Chebli
    Avery Scott
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  • Chess Update

    Charlie Vetter
    Everyone's favorite team is coming off an undefeated 2022 year ending with sweeping all three 6th and under  trophies at the West Texas Regionals which were held in San Angelo.
     
    This year's team should be better than last year's and is led by some veteran players with impressive chess resumes.
     
    Katie Li held down first board for the Chargers last year which meant the pressure of playing the top players from every other school. The Chargers are lucky she's back again this year and has gotten much better over the year.  On board two is another veteran, fifth grader, Ollie Mathewson, who had a very strong  record last year and has improved tremendously this year to the level of an adult tournament chess player.
     
    Katie's said her goal this year was to "keep Trinity's winning streak going." She joked that chess practice was a good way to "avoid my friends," and her favorite part of the game is when, "I'm losing, but put together a surprise checkmate."  Ollie said he enjoys "playing higher rated players," especially adults. He said he's been working on the Scotch Gambit and is particularly strong in the endgames.
     
    Behind Katie and Ollie are a group of veterans from last year's undefeated team that together make this the deepest and probably best team Trinity has ever fielded.
     
    Fifth grader Pearson Doyle is important to the team not just for his strong play, but also his fierce competitiveness and leadership qualities. It was pretty stressful for the team taking the long trip to San Angelo wondering what they would find taking on the best chess players from all over West Texas. Of all the players from the region, only one finished with an undefeated record of six wins and no losses, and that was Pearson. He said the Regionals turned out to be easier than he expected. "I only had two close games," he said. Pearson said chess "helps me stay awake at night. I see the board in my head."
     
    Fifth grader Evan Walker had a magical season last year. He finished with a perfect record, winning every single game without a loss, or even without a draw against every team in Midland. When asked about what he thought of his amazing undefeated season, he opined, "It's all a blank to me." Fifth grader Joaquin Gil has improved tremendously this year. He's one of the more aggressive players on the team, always looking for the attack. He said the thing that made him better this year was, "I learned how to defend better," but he still likes the attacks because "it helps me show my dominance." Another key fifth grader, Barrett Johnson, is opposite, preferring solid, less complicated positions. He remembered an example of a less complicated position against tough opponent Carver where he simplified the position for a win. "His bishop was about to take my queen," Barrett said, "and my queen was pinned so I checked him with my bishop. That left my knight undefended, but by being greedy he missed that even though I was losing material, I was able to advance my pawn to a nice checkmate."  See, a nice simple position. 
     
    Gus Padgett, another fifth grader finished the Regionals with five wins, one draw and no losses, good for second place just behind Pearson. Gus said the Regionals were like "Harry Potter chess" because he was seeing so clearly his moves were like magic. Musing philosophical, Gus said he plays mostly the Sicilian defense. After all, he mused, "Openings are like frogs, because they ribbit."  Wesley Howard is one more of the group of strong fifth graders who could be top board at many schools we will play this year. He said he likes to play the Opening called the Jordan, developed by Trinity chess playing legend Jordan Kazcor. Wesley said he hopes the analytical part of chess will help him become an architect some day. We thought we might lose fifth grader Rowan Baker this season as there were rumors he would sign as a free agent with one of our competing schools, but he resigned with the Chargers and has come back this year to give grief again to the rest of Midland's chess teams. 
     
    As if the fifth grade class needed more strength, Ewan MacDonald came out of nowhere to win most improved award and has moved into the top boards. "I just started this year," he said. "I play mostly the London System. It's exciting."
     
    Last year's third grade class only had two players come to most matches. Tom Zmigrosky was brought up for every match and is ready to go again this year. "I'm older, and smarter," he said. "My goal is to win every game this year - with no stalemates." Kelly Xie also had experience in matches last year but this year she will be asked to move up to higher boards and tougher competition. "I have a mix of emotions," she said. "Worried, and excited. I need to not rush so much. That's where I make mistakes. I watch the time so much I miss something on the board." 
     
    Some fourth graders who practiced in third grade but didn't get to play in many matches last year will be asked to take on a bigger role this year. CJ Seth said, "Yes, I'm ready, but also nervous" He said he's confident in his openings, but still needs to work on his endings. Maggie Berry said the idea of playing competitive matches against other schools makes her feel "nauseous, yet confident." Isn't that how we all feel?
     
    The Chargers will try to keep their undefeated streak (we think we're aiming for nine years in a row) going for another year when their season starts Thursday, January 26 against Bunche Elementary School.
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  • Girls Basketball Traveled to Texas Tech

    Coach McCarthy
    The girls basketball teams traveled to Lubbock to watch the Texas Tech vs University of Oklahoma basketball game. They took the full Texas Tech basketball tour and met Maddie William, Honorable Mention All American of Oklahoma in 2022. Maddie played for Coach Flowers at Trinity Valley in Fort Worth.
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  • Middle School Robotics Information 

    Mrs. Adamson
    Please make sure that you can commit to spending time building and attending the required competitions. Please see Mrs. Adamson or Mrs. Solis about conflicts before the season begins. Students must not have received more than three minor infractions or 1 major infraction during the first trimester to participate.  

    Coaches

    Building Sessions and Practice
    Students must attend all afternoon building sessions unless preapproved by Mrs. Adamson or Mrs. Solis.  Building Sessions will start on Tuesday, January 24, 2023
    Options:
    • Mandatory Afterschool:
      • Tuesday and  Wednesday
      • 4:00-5:00 pm
    • Morning: Optional 
      • Wednesday and Thursday Morning 7:30 to 8-8:10 am

    Required Events 
    Event 
    Time and Date 
    Location 
    Parent Meeting
    Tuesday, January 17, 2023, 4:10- 4:30 p.m.
    Trinity School in Mrs. Adamson’s room #605
    Student Kick-Off Event
    Tuesday, February 4, 2023, 5-6 p.m.
    Carver Center Elementary School
    Trial Run
    March 4, 2023, 8:30-12 
    Carver Center Elementary School


    Game Day
    April 15, 2023, 8:30-12
    Carver Center Elementary School 
    Gear Championship
    Saturday, April 29, 2023
    TBD
    Texas Tech University, 
    Lubbock TX
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  • Upper School History Update

    Terry Little
    I am sure that others might find reasons to disagree, but I have enjoyed Trinity going to trimesters.  Instead of hustling to prepare for finals as Christmas approaches, students and teachers alike can be a lot more relaxed and enjoy the unfolding of the season. At the start of the second trimester U.S. History classes had the opportunity to show the film classic, It’s A Wonderful Life

    History classes lend themselves to discussions about the importance of good character.   It is important for students to examine why we behave as we do and to analyze the decisions that shape our lives.  From a history teacher’s point of view, this movie allows me to introduce students to the flu epidemic of 1919, the Great Depression, and some of WWII.  It also offers a chance to focus on some of the character traits that drive our actions.  We watch the film and try to make note of instances when the characters exhibit positive citizenship.  We are looking for compassion, courage, diligence, fairness, honesty, integrity, respect, or responsibility.   I am sure that many of you know the plot.  George finds himself wishing that he had never been born and he is forced to see the place and people that he loves without his influence. The message is that every man’s life matters.  I hope that students will apply this to their life and realize that they matter to others as well.  Every person’s life affects those around them.  Each of our students has a chance to contribute positively to the lives and well being of many others.

    Trinity also has a focus on movies in the class, World History Through Film, this trimester.  Mr. Midkiff covers a broad span of time from the Roman occupation of the Middle East through current events.  Students in this class see six films and analyze them by focusing on intellectual trends, revolutionary movements, social interactions, political ideologies, economic theories, and geographical impacts.  By mid-February students will have grappled with complex topics like the Crusades, nationalism, imperialism, fascism, genocide, and the atomic bomb.  It seems that the second trimester lends itself to history classes using movies to explore the Trinity Core Competency to “embody character.”

    Terry Little 
    History & Social Science Academic Leader
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  • The Big Questions for Middle School

    Chaplain Weisenfels
    Beginning Tuesday, January 24, Middle School students will study The Big Questions for Middle School  from Fuller Youth Institute in Chapel.  Advisory discussions of The Big Questions will take place February 2, 9 and March 2 and 30.  These lessons guide students to what the Bible says about these big ideas:  “you don’t have to prove you’re enough”, “you belong here”, and “you matter more than you think”.  In the Charger on these weeks, you will find resources for parents if you would like to follow up on our Chapel and Advisory discussions with your student at home.  Please contact Chaplain Weisenfels with any questions.  
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  • Use the Discount Code "newyear" to Receive $5 Off Your Yearbook!

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  • Use the Discount Code "newyear" to Receive $5 Off Your Yearbook!

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  • Use the Discount Code "newyear" to Receive $5 Off Your Yearbook!

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  • Mary Poppins Auditions

    Our Upper School Musical for Spring ‘23 is Mary Poppins, and we can’t wait to get started! As you may know from seeing the film, there are many wonderful characters to bring to life. Performances will be March 31 to April 2 at the Yucca Theatre. Rehearsals will begin on January 24th.


    • Auditions will take place in Room 502 (Choir Room).
    • Auditions for Upper School students AND 8th graders will be Tuesday, January 17th. 
    • The auditions for Jane and Michael (the Banks children) will be Wednesday, January 18th. These will be for 8-11 year olds.
    • We will have any necessary callbacks (having some auditioners come back to read scenes, dance, and sing) on Thursday, January 19th. 

    Once you’ve read the information in the link above about characters, please click the following link to sign up for an audition slot!

    Here are the song choices for auditions:
    “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” - all 8th grade and up male auditioners.
    “A Spoonful of Sugar” - all 8th grade and up female auditioners. 
    “The Perfect Nanny” - all 8 year old through 11 year old auditioners for Jane and Michael Banks.

    Please click the link below for access to the music clips to rehearse with for auditions:

    *As with our previous productions, students interested in serving as TECH STAFF can earn service hours. Please fill out the audition form to indicate your interest!
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  • Spring Into Student Life

    Mrs. Scaling
    The spring is a busy time for Student Life. We will have a number of events to enrich the lives of students and have many opportunities to continue to build our student community. 

    In February, we will have our Valentine’s fundraiser led by the seniors. This is a great Trinity tradition that has gone on for many years, and is my personal favorite memory of my own senior year here. Student council will be working hard to fulfill orders and ensure that the fundraiser is a success. 

    In March, we will have expeditionary learning for ninth through eleventh grade and Life 101 for our seniors. The week is a chance for the entire high school to grow and learn unique perspectives and skills. 

    In April, we will have prom. Student council is working hard to ensure that Prom is a success again this year. More details will come in the coming weeks. 

    In May, we will announce our 2023-2024 members of student council and watch our seniors graduate. 

    We continue to have advisory time twice a week. With this time we do a variety of things including focusing on personal development, professional development, mental health, and personal needs of students. We also take this time to have a variety of speakers from the community, hear from our alumni, and socialize. 

    Our student council hopes to add more fundraising events that will be announced as we finalize details!

    Looking forward to a fun and eventful spring,

    Wheatley Gates Scaling
    Student Life Director
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  • Upcoming Field Trips

    Grade 4 - West Texas Food Bank, January 27, 31, & February 3
    Grade 2 - Boys and Girls Club - February 8
    Grade 1 - Manor Park - February 22 and 27
    Preschool - Petroleum Museum, February 28


    Parents, please make sure to log in to your myTrinity account to sign the form for your child to participate in the upcoming field trip. Remember, both parent/guardian signatures are required for your child to attend.
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  • Upcoming Games & Matches: Basketball & Tennis

    This week is the first district games for basketball. Friday, the Chargers will take on Kennedale Fellowship Christian and on Saturday, Covenant Christian.

    Next weekend are the first home district games on Friday vs. Temple Christian and Saturday vs. Denton Calvary. Make sure to stop by Beal Gym to cheer on the Chargers! 

    Tennis begins on the 17th with a dual at Garden City.

    Go Chargers!
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Trinity School of Midland

© 2019 Trinity School. All Rights Reserved.
© 2019 Trinity School. All Rights Reserved.