The Tohickon Golden Eagle
March 2016
Spring is Around the Corner!
Dear Tohickon Families,
The month of March has arrived! March will feature the Sixth Grade Orientation for Parents, the Spring Musical, and the National Junior Honor Society Induction Ceremony. These are all significant events that have involved a lot of time and preparation.
On March 1st at 7:00 PM, Tohickon will open its doors for the parents of our incoming seventh grade students. Parents will begin the evening by touring the first floor of the building, meeting with our subject area coordinators and special area teachers. This will be a great opportunity to become acquainted with some of the content that students will be learning in seventh grade. At 7:30 PM, the main presentation will begin in the auditorium. During this presentation, parents will be introduced to the Four Pillars of Tohickon (Academics, Extra-Curriculars, Community Service and Citizenship), the middle school schedule, parent portal and the best ways to stay informed. This is a very important evening and we are greatly looking forward to meeting all of our new parents.
The Music Man Jr., our spring musical, will be held on March10th, 11th and 12th, beginning at 7:00 PM. There will also be a matinee presentation at 2:30 PM on the 12th. This is a significant event for our students and school. The students and staff have devoted a tremendous amount of time and effort to put this performance together. The process of organizing and preparing this presentation began in November, involving several after school and weekend practices. We encourage you to come out to see this wonderful performance and to support our students! Details for purchasing tickets can be found further along in the newsletter.
The Annual Tohickon National Junior Honor Society Induction will take place on March 31st at 7:00 PM. We are honored to have State Representative Marguerite Quinn here to deliver the keynote address and congratulate all of our student recipients. In addition to maintaining a high level of academic excellence, students have to show areas of strength in many areas in order to attain this very special honor. We always look forward to this special evening!
It's hard to believe that we only have three and a half months of school left! The month of March is just as important as any other and we look forward to enjoying all of these special occasions with our students and parents. I hope that you have a fantastic month with family and friends!
Sincerely,
Mr. Kevin Marton, Principal
March Calendar of Events
There are several upcoming events that students and parents should be aware of in the month of March. They are as follows:
March 1st
Sixth Grade Parent Orientation - 7:00 PM
Science Olympiad meets from 2:30-3:30 PM
March 2nd
Eighth Grade Verification Sheets Due
Science Olympiad Trip @ Neumann University
March 3rd
Debate Club meets from 2:30-3:30 PM
March 4th
Jazz Festival at Tohickon
March 10th
Anime Club meets from 2:30-3:30 PM
March 10th, 11th, 12th
Music Man, Jr. - 7:00 PM
March 12th
Music Man, Jr. - 2:30 PM
March 14th
Pi Day at Tohickon
March 15th
Relay for Life Spirit Day
March 16th
Diversity Club meets from 2:30-3:30 PM
Garden Club Planning Meeting during Resource
March 17th
Parent Council Meeting at 9:00 AM in Library
Math Club meets from 2:30-3:30 PM
Debate Club meets from 2:30-3:30 PM
March 19th
National History Day at Ursinus College - All Day
March 24th
Parent/Teacher Conferences 7:30 AM - 3:00 PM
March 24th, 25th, 28th
Spring Recess for Students - No School
March 30th
Diversity Assembly for Students - All Grades
March 31st
NJHS Induction - 7:00 PM
Tohickon Eighth Grader Qualifies for the State Geography Bee
Mathcounts Competition
On Saturday, February 20th a team of Tohickon students competed at the Bucks County Chapter Mathcounts competition at Christopher Dock Mennonite High School. Mathcounts is a national middle school competition program that promotes mathematics achievement through a series of fun and engaging “bee” style contests. Students in sixth, seventh, and eighth grades are eligible to participate in the competition. Our team worked very hard over the past five months preparing for the competition by successfully solving challenging and rigorous math problems under the guidance of their coaches, Mrs. Bellavance and Mrs. Rissing. Tohickon’s team finished in ninth place out of fifteen teams in Bucks County and had five students who placed in the top 45 individual scorers for the competition of 111 students. Congratulations to Saikrishna M., Claire C., Austin H., Peter C., Athena B., Braeden M., Daniel B., Dana L., Matthew R., and Magda V. for a job well done.
For more information about the Mathcounts competition series visit www.mathcounts.org
The Second Annual Dodgeball Tournament was a Huge Success
Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub presents on Drug Awareness
VH-1 Save the Music Foundation
CB music teachers hold three concerts every January at Holicong Middle School to raise money for the VH-1 Save the Music Foundation which provides music instruction and equipment to school districts without music programs. This year’s concerts raised $24,000 and brought the total CB donation to $100,000! Mr. Dengler, Miss McGahey and Mrs. Repper performed at all three concerts and Tohickon Select Strings and ninth grade Orchestra were featured during the Saturday afternoon show. Thank you to all who came out to support this fantastic cause!
Picture attached: Mrs. Repper’s Select Strings and 9th grade Orchestra performing at the VH-1 Concert with Miss McGahey
Tohickon Players proudly present "The Music Man, Jr."
The Tohickon Players proudly present this year’s musical, “The Music Man, Jr.” Performances will be March 10th, 11th, and 12th, at 7:00 PM, with an additional performance on Saturday, March 12th at 2:30 PM. Tickets can be purchased through this link http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2505100 or at the door, on a first come first serve basis. Please come and see our students put on a fantastic performance!
Tohickon T5 Program to feature Dr. Michael Fowlin: A Presentation on Diversity
On Wednesday, March 30th, Dr. Michael Fowlin will be presenting to Tohickon students on the topic of Diversity. Dr. Fowlin is well known nationally and has presented in Central Bucks several times over the years. Dr. Fowlin has doctoral degree in clinical psychology from Rutgers University and has been formally acting since age 11. We look forward to his presentation at the end of the month.
Parent Council Meeting Reminder
TEAM HAPPENINGS!
TEAM SUMMIT and TEAM DISCOVERY - GRADE 7
It is a busy time of year for the seventh grade teams!
Team Awards: At the end of January, Mid-Year Team Awards were distributed. Students were recognized for their outstanding performance in each core subject area. Other awards were also distributed in the areas of Citizenship and Leadership. Students who received awards should be very proud of their achievement.
Paying it Forward in T5: February’s T5 theme in seventh grade is ”Pay it Forward”; we use this theme as a platform for students to explore how they can be a better student, friend, son/daughter, neighbor, and citizen. Students made personal “Pay it Forward” goals to hopefully improve the role they play “locally”, both here at Tohickon and at home. To Pay it Forward “globally”, we are holding a drive to collect needed items for the American Cancer Society’s AstraZenca Hope Lodge in Cheltenham, PA. Since seventh graders are unable to participate in Relay for Life, this drive allows them a chance to be a part of this great cause that is so important to our school. The drive runs through Friday, March 4th and items being collected include: new white washcloths, paper towels, toilet paper, dryer sheets, HE laundry detergent, bleach, and packs of disposable cups. These items can be brought into homeroom by the students, or dropped off in the main office. For more information about Hope Lodge, please visit http://www.cancer.org/treatment/supportprogramsservices/hopelodge/philadelphia/philadelphia-about-our-facility .
TEAM TRAILBLAZER AND EXPEDITION - GRADE 8
The eighth grade T5 activity for the month of February was a two-day door-decorating contest. Each T5 group had to brainstorm ideas for their door that focused on one aspect of healthy living, such as exercise, healthy eating habits, heart health, mental health, etc. Once an idea was conceived, the group had to split up the tasks to be able to accomplish the activity by the end of class on the second day. Each student took part in the activity and they had fun creating their designs. Here are some pictures to show the students’ creativity and ability to work in a group to complete their goal for this project.
NINTH GRADE TEAM
Over the next few weeks, the ninth grade will be marching through Asia and Europe as they study WWII. This unit will take the students through a WWII simulation that involves eighteen different countries. It’s every man for himself. In addition to learning about the causes and effects of the war, students will also learn about the U.S. home front, advancements in technology, and the Holocaust. On March 3rd, we will have our annual Holocaust assembly during which the students will see a presentation from a Holocaust survivor. It’s sure to be an exciting few weeks.
In English, a number of classes are reading Night by Elie Wiesel, a memoir about Wiesel’s time in the concentration camps of Europe when he was fifteen years old. Not only is this book relevant because our students are the same age as young Wiesel, but it is another connection to their social studies classes. Learning about World War II in social studies, while reading a memoir of a Jewish prisoner in English class, helps students to more firmly grasp this time period from a number of different perspectives. In early March, ninth graders will have the opportunity to listen to, and to ask questions of, a Holocaust survivor. In May, students will have the opportunity to visit the Holocaust museum in Washington, D.C. if they so choose.
Students in ninth grade science classes are studying how evolution occurs on Earth. An understanding of heredity is necessary to fully understand evolution. Pictured here are students using the new touch screen laptops to conduct a simulated experiment in which mice with specific traits are bred. This allows students to study how traits are passed down from parent to offspring.
Message from our Librarian - Mrs. Fox
Before the Valentine’s Holiday, seventh grade students in Ms. Good’s fifth period got to “speed date” several books that were displayed in the library. Speed-dating provides students with multiple rounds of about five minutes to explore and read from an assortment of books from different genres. Using this method, students found several books to check out that they wanted to read further. Each student also took part in “Blind Date with a Book.” At the end of class they chose a gift-wrapped book to check out. This activity limits a student’s ability to judge a book by its cover and hopefully exposes them to something they might not have read otherwise.
Tohickon "After School" Clubs
Did you know that Tohickon is currently running some clubs after school?
Tohickon is unique in that students can participate in some awesome clubs throughout the school year. Each month we’ll be featuring some of the opportunities for students to get involved at Tohickon. For the month of March, we’d like to highlight The Anime Club. Run by Ms. Bongiorno, students get to experience art in a whole new way. “The Anime Club is for students interested in Anime, Manga, and the surrounding culture. Students are able to work with like-minded peers that they may not otherwise be able to interact with during the typical school day. Seventh, eighth and ninth graders work together creating a unique atmosphere, where club members learn—and teach each other—the drawing style, while viewing film and videos,” describes Ms. Bongiorno, the club creator. Students meet after school and enjoy time together while they explore their favorite art genre. Pictured above are members of the club, as well as some members collaborating together, creating new characters! Ms. Bongiorno shares, “While this style and genre isn’t for everyone, our diverse members unite over their common love for Anime!” If a student is interested in participating in Anime Club, they can visit Ms. Bongiorno! This club is such a cool idea and a great addition to Tohickon!
In order for clubs to run, a teacher must be willing to sponsor the club after school and there must be a reasonable level of student interest. For these reasons, Tohickon Clubs may be different from year to year. Currently, Tohickon is running the following clubs:
Debate Club - Sponsored by Mr. Forney
Diversity Club - Sponsored by Mrs. Fox
Anime Club - Sponsored by Mrs. Bongiorno
Math Club - Sponsored by Mrs. Bellavance and Mrs. Rissing
Science Olympiad - Sponsored by Mr. Weir and Mr. Collins
Garden Club (Seasonal) - Sponsored by Mr. Neely and Mrs. Fox
If you are interested in joining one of the clubs at Tohickon or have any questions, please see the club's sponsor in order to sign up.
My Payments Plus is coming to Central Bucks' Middle Schools
CB Middle Schools will be using My Payments Plus for parents to use to pay for field trips, PE uniforms, student activities and other fees. You will receive an email blast to inform you that a field trip has been set up for your student and you can log onto My Payments Plus and make a payment. If you have a student at West you may already be familiar with the program. In the next few weeks an email blast will be sent out to parents with the instructions on how to sign up.
Share Good News About Tohickon Students!
Community Service
The community service initiative tried to warm up the cold winter months by cooking soup for a local soup kitchen. Over the course of four afternoons, Mrs. Furfari and dozens of students prepared gallons of soup to donate to those in need. In addition, several students started their own community service projects at Tohickon. Seventh graders Mikayla H., with the help of Cassidy E., Alison W., Carly V., and Clara G. collected materials with the goal of sewing seventy-five teddy bears for a local shelter. The girls sought approval for their project from Mr. Pustay, decorated collection boxes for each floor, and wrote an announcement to run on the morning television show. So far, they have collected three bins full of fabric and stuffing, enough supplies for approximately thirty-five bears. Their drive will continue through March. In addition, eighth grader Rachel D., with the help of other students, organized a food drive to benefit the Doylestown Food Pantry. We are very proud of our students’ efforts to serve their communities.
Message from the Athletic Department
Spring is almost here, and so are spring sports. Spring sports begin during the third and fourth weeks of March. During the spring, seventh and eighth grade students can participate in baseball, softball, track and field, and girls’ rules soccer. For information on these sports, please visit the Tohickon athletics page: http://www.cbsd.org/domain/340.
If students wish to participate in a spring sport and they have not yet played a sport at Tohickon, they must complete and turn-in section 6 of the physical form. If they have already played a sport for Tohickon, they must complete and turn-in section 7 of the PIAA physical form- Recertification by Parent/Guardian. All interested participants must register for a spring sport on Family ID.
Congratulations and thank you to the cheerleaders for their support for our fall and winter sports. During the months of January and February, besides supporting our basketball teams, the girls competed at three competitions. They earned first place at both the CB East and CB West competitions and finished third in the district championships. Great job ladies!
All Central Bucks School District Volunteers
Volunteers must have their clearances on file with the CBSD Human Resources Department prior to starting volunteer work. The new Pennsylvania State mandate does allow until July 1, 2016 to obtain background checks. However, in the best interest of the safety and security of our students, we are asking volunteers to comply with submitting background checks prior to volunteering in the 2015-2016 school year.
Click link to learn more: http://www.cbsd.org/site/default.aspx?PageID=355
If you have already submitted paperwork you do not need to take any further action at this time.
This online process is ONLY for those who have not submitted clearances/certifications as of October 1, 2015.
Tohickon Wellness Update
The Wellness Committee’s student volunteers helped to promote the benefits of dark chocolate in February, by distributing dark chocolate Hershey’s kisses to every student! Did you know that a small bar of dark chocolate daily can lower blood pressure and help reduce “bad cholesterol.” There are many other benefits as well, including antioxidants.
Our Go For The Greens salad bar, provided by the Wellness Committee and served by teacher volunteers, will be provided to the students at lunch on Wednesday, March 23rd.
Mrs. Furfari and Mr. Neely held a successful parent-student cooking class, on February 17th. They were able to provide quality time to the families, with some education on how to cook inexpensive and healthy dinner meals.
Finally, CBSD and CB Cares continues to provide intriguing speakers with the Parent Positive Series. The next event will be held on March 12th, with a presentation on how to build resilient kids! For more information, please visit: http://www.cb-cares.org/calendar.cfm#eventcalendar.
From the Nurse's Office
General Information:
Because head injuries and concussions may impact your child’s ability to learn, please contact the school nurse and your child’s guidance counselor if your child is injured. Physician documentation to guide the transition back to school post head injury is necessary. Please contact school staff so we can review the CBSD concussion protocol with you and your child prior to him/her returning to school.
Parents should provide a physician note if students require crutches, wheelchairs, elevator keys, physical education excuses, or other accommodations while in school. Students should stop by the nurse’s office upon return to school. Please know that we want to support your child as he/she recuperates.
Your child is measured for height and weight yearly as mandated by the Pennsylvania School Health program. Height, weight, age, and gender were used to determine his/her Body Mass Index (BMI) and percentile. This screening process started in November and will continue into the Spring Semester. Each student is given a pass to come to the nurse and is screened privately. Your child’s height, weight and BMI results will be available on the Parent Portal. If you do not have access to a computer and would like a paper copy sent home, please call your school nurse with this request. In addition, during this visit your child will have their vision assessed. If your child does not pass the vision screening, a referral will be mailed home.
Immunizations
Did you know that you can review your child’s school immunization records using our district website? The information is accessible on parent portal. If your child’s information is not in compliance with PA mandates, it is indicated.
Please inform your child’s school nurse of any updates.
To view the CB Cares Backpack Newsflash please click the link below:
Tohickon Middle School
Email: kmarton@cbsd.org
Website: cbsd.org
Location: 5051 Old Easton Road, Doylestown, PA
Phone: 267-893-3300