Trinity Tidbits

Highlights

Trinity Tidbits

By Nicole Fash, Director of Marketing and Communications

Bryson and Selma enjoy petting a goat while Candler, Emily, Braylon, and Henry look on.

Sixth Grade Outdoor Ed Trip

On March 31 and April 1, then-Sixth Graders had fun on their outdoor education trip to Camp Twin Lakes. Members of the 2022 Sixth Grade Leadership Class made lifelong memories while taking part in many traditional outdoor education activities, from paddle boating to playing team-building games, riding bikes to rock climbing.

Award-winning musician performs for students

On March 4, during Music In Our Schools Month, award-winning trumpeter, composer, and music educator Melvin Jones visited campus. Also a dad to two Trinity students, Melvin gave a special presentation and performance to Upper Elementary students. A special thank you to Melvin for taking the time to share his musical passion with Trinity students.

Grand Day

Following a one-year hiatus, we welcomed students’ grandparents and special friends on campus for Grand Day on April 8. After enjoying a welcome reception and song by Trinity’s choir, our special guests joined their grandchildren in the classroom to see all the interesting things our students had worked on throughout the school year. What a joy it was to see our students light up when their grandparents and special friends walked into the room.

Then-Fourth Grader Ekeoma poses with his grandmother. Then-Kindergartner Rose poses for a photo with her grandparents.

Trinity partners with Kate’s Club for Day of Service

In the spring, members of the Trinity School community once again demonstrated how committed they are to giving back during Trinity annual Day of Service. The School partnered with Kate’s Club, a nonprofit organization that provides critical social and therapeutic programming to grieving children (ages 5 - 18) and their families who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or primary caregiver, at no cost to the families. On March 26, Trinity hosted approximately 200 Kate’s Club participants who enjoyed bounce houses, a video game truck, group games, balloon artists, music, crafts, and lunch. The event not only provided Trinity families with the opportunity to give back and have a fun day but also gave parents and caregivers of Kate’s Club kids the rare opportunity to connect and participate in “Caregiver Connection” time while the kids were engaged in all the fun activities. The Trinity community also donated games, craft supplies, snacks, beverages, and prizes for the event.

Sixth Graders make laundry kits for Ronald McDonald House

On March 30, the 2022 Sixth Grade Leadership Class met with a Ronald McDonald House representative to learn about the organization’s program, make laundry kits, and write encouraging notes for future participants.

Then-Sixth Graders Edward and Theo enjoy making laundry kits.

Then-Fifth Grader Sammy stops by the face painting station.

The Corn Maze was a big hit for students of all ages. Students pause before beginning a race through the obstacle course.

The School Festival Returns

After a one-year hiatus, the School Festival returned on April 10 and was bigger and better than ever. All current families and employees were invited to join the festivities that spanned Trinity’s campus, including the new Early Childhood Outdoor Learning Center. Festival attractions included a zipline, rock wall, obstacle course, miniature golf, giant games, face painting, and carnival games.

Georgia Tech coach discusses sportsmanship with Fifth Graders

On April 25, in preparation for Trinity’s Fifth Grade Olympics, Georgia Tech Men’s Basketball Head Coach Josh Pastner spoke to Fifth Graders about what it means to be a teammate and a competitor. A special thank you to Coach Pastner for taking the time to visit with students and share what he has learned during his athletic career.

Brynn, Camille, and Ava enjoy hiking through the woods. William, Graham, Ben, and Christopher celebrate finding a waterfall.

Fifth Grade Outdoor Ed Trip

On April 21 and 22, as a culminating trip for last school year’s Fifth-Grade class, students and teachers traveled to the Blue Ridge Outdoor Education Center in Toccoa, Georgia. Fifth Graders participated in teamwork challenges, river excursions, and adventurous hikes. A campfire sing-along was the highlight of the trip, and students reflected on their years of friendship at Trinity.

Alums featured on Eldridge Publishing website

Members of Trinity’s Class of 2021 performing The True Story of Hey Diddle Diddle during their Sixth Grade Leadership year are featured on the Eldridge Publishing website. Student photos were selected by Eldridge Publishing, a leading play publisher since 1906, after they were submitted by Upper Elementary Music Teacher Caitlin Grubbe.

Kerry Coote featured as MGB honoree

On September 3, Upper Elementary Math Specialist Kerry Coote was featured as an honoree on Mathematically Gifted and Black, a website that highlights the contributions and lives of Black mathematicians. The feature highlighted her journey to becoming a mathematician, her love for mathematics, and her role at Trinity.

Trinity student donates time and talent to MUST Ministries

“Every child deserves a nutritious and delicious lunch every day, especially in the summer months when schools are closed,” says Fifth Grader Sofia Peralta.

This belief led Sofia to help students in the local community this past summer by contributing to the Summer Lunch Program at MUST Ministries, which distributes meals across eight counties: Bartow, Cobb, Cherokee, Douglas, Fulton, Gwinnett, Paulding, and Pickens. Assisted by her brother, James, who is a Second Grader at Trinity, Sofia organized a neighborhood lemonade stand to raise funds to purchase lunch items such as granola bars, peanut butter crackers, applesauce, and juice boxes. Additionally, she collected old T-shirts, using them to construct and donate 25 jump ropes to the children served by MUST Ministries.

Becky Holden speaks at mathematics conference

Early Elementary Math Specialist Becky Holden, who has been at Trinity since 2015, was invited to speak at the CGI (Cognitively Guided Instruction) national biennial conference held in Orlando, Florida, in late June. According to CGI’s website, it is a “teacher professional learning program that supports teachers to understand research knowledge of children’s mathematical thinking and how to use students’ mathematical thinking to guide instruction.” Becky presented “When CGI Opened a Coaching Window.”

Jessica Lyles completes second master’s degree

At Trinity since 2021, Kindergarten Lead Teacher Jessica Lyles completed her Master of Education in Educational Psychology: Applied Cognition and Development from the University of Georgia over the summer. A member of Georgia Researchers of Educational Psychology, Jessica also has a Master of Education in Professional Counseling and Child and Adolescent Counseling from Richmont Graduate University and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Belhaven University.

Robyn Denson earns MBA and joins NSLS

At Trinity since 2021, Controller Robyn Denson completed her Master of Business Administration from Western Governors University this summer and was invited to join the National Society for Leadership and Success. A Certified Public Accountant and Certified Fraud Examiner, Robyn also has a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Kennesaw State University.

Lauren Covington earns master’s degree

Third Grade Lead Teacher Lauren Covington, who began working at Trinity in 2018, completed her Master of Education in Educational Psychology (Gifted and Creative Education) from the University of Georgia in May. She also has a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education with a minor in Human Development from UGA.

Justin Jackson earns PSP certification

At Trinity since 2016, Campus Security Manager Justin Jackson earned his Physical Security Professional (PSP) certification in April. The PSP certification is a globally recognized credential that validates an individual’s knowledge and expertise in physical security and is the only physical security certification that is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Justin, who is also trained and certified as a field investigator and active shooter responder through the Atlanta Police Academy, also recently completed the Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE) Instructor Course provided by Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service.

“As the world becomes increasingly more digitized, the importance of physical security should not be underestimated,” says Justin, better known as Officer Jackson. “At Trinity, we always seek to do everything possible to ensure the safety of our students and community, and I thought it was essential to have a certified Physical Security Professional on staff. This certification combined with my Atlanta Police Department experience means I am even more prepared to conduct threat surveys, design security procedures and systems, and maintain security systems. I can keep our school more agile by training staff and students on security procedures and staying up to date on the latest security technologies and best practices. In addition, completing the CRASE Instructor Course better equipped me to provide our employees with the skills they need to keep our students safe. As a law enforcement officer, I possess the tools and training required from a direct-to-threat standpoint. I can now close the loop to develop and deliver a model response program to our community.”