Messages and Calendar of Events & Activities - Week of September 28, 2026

    
 
Dear Island Trees School Community,

Please see the messages, as well as the calendar of events & activities below: 

The Secret to Test Preparation? Practice, Practice, Practice.
 
We often hear students say, “He’s a really good test taker,” or “She’s just not a good test taker.” But I wonder how much of being a “good test taker” actually comes down to something much less mysterious: preparation.
 
If we could somehow calculate the amount of time students spend reviewing, practicing, studying, asking questions, and preparing for an exam, I would guess we would find that many of the students who appear to be “good test takers” are simply putting more time into the process.
 
There is no real secret formula. Practice, practice, practice. Study, study, study.
 
We remind our students that preparing for a test is not something that should begin the night before. Reviewing notes for a few minutes each night, practicing problems, rereading important material, and asking questions along the way are far more effective than trying to cram everything into one evening.
 
And the same lesson applies well beyond a single test. Success in school -- and in life -- often comes down to consistent effort over time.
 
So when your child has a big test coming up, encourage them to start early, make a plan, and put in the time. The age-old formula still works:
 
Prepare. Practice. Repeat.
 
There may not be a secret to becoming a good test taker -- but there is a proven path to becoming a better-prepared student.
 

 
 
Awards -- Don’t Wait to Be Discovered
 
The Common Application gives students a place to list the awards and honors they have received during their high school years. While Island Trees students have many opportunities to earn local awards through the high school, colleges also like to see students who have challenged themselves beyond their school walls -- at the county, state, and national levels.
 
Here is some advice I heard many years ago when my own child was going through the college process: Don’t wait for someone else to recognize your child.
 
At Island Trees, we have many outstanding students, and there are times when several students are deserving of the same honor, but only one can be selected. That is simply the reality of awards and recognition.
 
So, if your child has a particular interest or talent, encourage them to seek out opportunities to demonstrate it. There are contests, competitions, scholarships, and programs in virtually every area imaginable -- science, geography, research, athletics, music, art, writing, technology, history, and many more. There are hundreds of opportunities available to students who are willing to look for them.
 
Our high school regularly announces many of these opportunities in classrooms and over the public address system. But ultimately, the student has to take the next step. They have to decide to enter the competition, submit the application, write the essay, conduct the research, create the artwork, perform, compete, or simply put themselves out there.
 
Not every opportunity will result in an award -- and that is okay. The experience of challenging yourself, competing with others, pursuing an interest, and putting your work forward is valuable in itself.
 
Don’t wait for someone to pin a medal on your child. Encourage them to find opportunities, take a chance, and put themselves out there. You never know where that effort may lead.

 

We Transport – Employment Opportunities 
 
We need bus drivers! We Transport will train drivers to obtain their CDL license. 
 

 
 
Save the Date, October 28, 7:00 p.m. - Secrets of College Admissions
Geared for Middle School in Grades 7 & 8 and HS Parents in Grades 9-11
 
 

🌟 National Merit Recognition! 🌟
 
Congratulations to our Island Trees students who have been named Commended Students in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program!
 
Patrick Bisceglia, Bella Lin, and Hunter Durham earned this distinction through their outstanding performance on the PSAT/NMSQT and are among approximately 34,000 Commended Students nationwide recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Even more impressively, Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 students who entered the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program.
 
Congratulations on this outstanding academic achievement! We are proud to celebrate our Bulldogs! 🐾🎓
 
 LEV-IT Fall Festival 


 
Homecoming Parade – Lots of Smiles!
 

 
This Week’s Calendar

Monday, September 28 – Meet the Teacher Night, ITHS, 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, September 29 – Meet the Teacher Night, MMS, 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, September 29 – Washington Trip Parent Meeting, MMS, 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, September 30 – Elementary PTA and Class Parent Meeting, Sparke, 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, September 30 – Grade 12 Add/Drop Deadline
Thursday, October 1 – National Pumpkin Spice Day – October is Back! 
Friday, October 2 – National Custodians’ Day
 

 Athletics Game Schedule Link
 https://www.islandtrees.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=415372&type=d&termREC_ID=&pREC_ID=767844


 Island Trees Home Page – Parent Square Link and Pop-Up
 https://islandtrees.org/
  
  
 Island Trees Social Media Sites
  
 Twitter/X - Sparke School
 @SparkeShines
 https://twitter.com/SparkeShines
  
 Twitter/X - Stokes School
 @WeRStokes

 Twitter/X - MMS
 https://twitter.com/IslandtreesMMS

 Twitter/X – Special Education
 IT_SpecialEd

 Island Trees High School
 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/islandtreeshs
 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/IslandtreesHS/
  
 Instagram – Athletics
 islandtreesathletics
  
 Island Trees Curriculum and Instruction Instagram:
 islandtreeslearns
 https://www.instagram.com/islandtreeslearns/
  

 Two-Week Calendar Look Ahead
Monday, October 5 – Title I Parent Meeting, Stokes, 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, October 6 – Dollars for Scholars Meeting, ITHS, 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, October 6 – SEPTA Meeting, MMS, 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, October 7 – Stokes Picture Day – Smile!
Wednesday, October 7 – High School Shared Decision-Making, ITHS, 2:15 p.m.
Wednesday, October 7 – Grade 7 Boston Meeting, MMS, 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, October 7 – Board of Education Work Session, Karopczyc, 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, October 8 – Sparke Picture Day – Smile!
Thursday, October 8 – PSAT Exam, Grades 10 & 11, ITHS
Thursday, October 8 – SAT Exam Grade 12, ITHS
Thursday, October 8 – MMS Shared Decision-Making, MMS, 2:45 p.m.
Friday, October 9 – Interim Reports for Secondary on the Portal