Lancer Legend
November 2023
LTMS Mission and Vision
Our goal is to provide students with experiences that will empower them to become thoughtful, meaningful contributors to society. Our teachers and staff are committed to offering students a wide range of learning experiences that will enable them to discover their passion and how they learn best. While empowering students to uncover their true passion, Loyalsock Township Middle School prepares, engages, and inspires all students to seek academic and personal excellence.
Dear LTMS Families,
We hope this message finds you well as we begin the month of November. As the colorful autumn leaves fall, we embrace the spirit of gratitude and growth within our school community.
We invite you to attend our upcoming Parent-Teacher Conferences on Tuesday, November 21st. This is an excellent opportunity to meet with your child's teachers, discuss their progress, and address any concerns you may have. Please remember to schedule your appointments in advance to ensure a smooth and productive conference. An email containing a link that will allow you to sign up on MyConferencetime.com for an available meeting time will be forthcoming.
As we approach the end of November, we eagerly anticipate the much-needed Thanksgiving Break. School will be closed from Thursday, November 23rd - Monday, November 27th. This break offers a chance for rest, rejuvenation, and quality time with family and friends. We hope you enjoy this time together and return refreshed to LTMS.
Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership. Together, we can create a nurturing and inspiring environment for our students to thrive. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to our dedicated staff. Wishing you a joyful and fulfilling month of November!
Warm regards,
Mrs. Rachelle Ackerman, Principal
Mrs. Dayne Waller, Assistant Principal
Important Dates to Remember
- Monday - Friday: Teacher Office Hours 2:40 PM - 3:00 PM
- Includes Academic Support
- 30 min. After School Detention (2:45 PM - 3:15 PM)
- 60 min. After School Detention (2:45 PM-3:45 PM Tuesday and Thursday)
- Monday - Thursday: After School Program (2:40 PM - 3:30 PM)
- Thursday, Nov. 2nd: Take 3 Music Performance (6th and 7th graders)
- Evening Performance 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM @ LTHS Auditorium (Adults $5 / Child $3)
- Tuesday, Nov. 7th: Last day of MP 1
- Wednesday, Nov. 8th: First day of MP 2
- Wednesday, Nov. 8th: School Board Meeting @ 7:00 PM LTHS/LTMS MPR (D10/11)
- Wednesday, Nov.15th: Report Cards posted on Parent/Student Portals
- Monday, Nov. 20th - Wednesday, November 22nd: Early Dismissal for Students (12:40 PM)
- Monday: Professional Development for Teachers (1:00 PM - 3:00 PM)
- Tuesday: Parent/Teacher Conferences (1:00 PM - 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM)
- Thursday, Nov. 23rd -Monday, Nov. 27th: Thanksgiving Holiday Break
- Wednesday, Nov. 29th: PTO Meeting @ 5:30 PM in the MS/HS Library
Bowling Field Trip
8th Grade Goes "MAD" in Science
Eighth grade students participated in a laboratory run by the "MAD" Scientist, Mr. Zac Martin. Students observed a chemical reaction demonstration, and then performed one of the experiments themselves. There were four different "potions" to choose from that involved household items, which were renamed to portray a spookier effect. "Crushed Bones" (baking soda) and "Werewolf Sweat" (vinegar) were a few of the potions listed. Students followed experimental procedures and used scientific equipment to successfully run chemical reactions at their lab tables while listening to some spooky Halloween music.
7th Grade World History Scribes
Did you know that during the Mesopotamia era scribes recorded financial transactions on soft clay using a stylus? Students in Mr. Gardner's class were able to create their own transcriptions using play-doh and popsicles sticks. Letter symbols were provided and students worked diligently while understanding that the scribes were powerful people who controlled knowledge and information during this historical period.
6th Grade October Reading Challenge
Sixth grade students are participating in monthly reading challenges in Mrs. Kendall’s classes. When students complete a book, they respond to their chosen text and are entered into a drawing for a prize of their choice. This optional challenge has caused much excitement for many of our 6th grade students and has encouraged readers to make deeper connections within their independent texts. Congratulations to the October Reading Challenge winners!
Mansfield Young Men's Choral Festival
Eight LTMS middle schoolers from 7th and 8th grades traveled to Mansfield University for the 24th Annual Young Men’s Choral Festival. They joined students from 14 other schools to form a choir of 120 students. They had the opportunity to sing with the MU Steadman Singers and the PSU Glee Club to form a mass-choir of almost 200 students. Rehearsals and the concert were led by MU and PSU Choral Directors Dr. Dettwiler and Dr. Kiver. Thank you, Mrs. Haney, for providing this experience to our students!
SPOOKTACULAR Night
Smoothies For Sale
October Students of the Month
Congratulations to our LTMS October Students of the Month! These students are respectful (role models to their peers), responsible (take personal accountability), kind (helpful to others), and courageous (strive to improve the well-being of others)!
October Teacher of the Month
Congratulations to our October Teacher of the Month, Mr. Craig Weaver. Our students recognize him as an amazing teacher with a great sense of humor. "Mr. Weaver makes math fun and he always helps me with my work!" Mr. Weaver reminds students, "Failure is success in progress." - Albert Einstein
G.O.A.T.s of the Week
Each week, two LTMS staff members are celebrated for their accomplishments, support and dedication to the education field. Staff are given the title of a G.O.A.T (GREATEST OF ALL TIME) and presented with a goat mascot that is placed in their respective rooms for all to see! Congratulations to our October winners!
Mrs. Hannah Kilburn (Paraprofessional)
Mr. Justin VanFleet (K-12 District Librarian)
Mrs. Nicole Muthler (6th Grade Learning Support Teacher)
Mr. Brian Bubb (Head of Maintenance and Custodial Staff)
Mrs. Suzanne Waters (Paraprofessional)
Mrs. Jen Bomboy (8th Grade Math/Algebra Teacher)
Mrs. Ashley Fry (8th Grade ELA Teacher)
Mr. Mike Frederick (Pre K-8th Grade Phys. Ed/Health Teacher)
Special Events
LTHS Baseball Cornhole Tournament
On Sunday, November 5th, the LTHS Baseball Team invites community members to attend a Cornhole Tournament at the Liberty Arena. Registration will begin at 12:00 PM and bags will fly at 1:00 PM. Door prizes, 50/50 chances and a basket raffle will take place during the tournament. Come out to this fun, family event and support our HS baseball team!
PTO Fundraiser Event
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Health Services Update
A health services section has been added to the district website. Information regarding required immunizations according to Pennsylvania school guidelines, health screenings, physical exams, and medical forms are included for convenient access.
Our New Cafeteria
On November 1st, our secondary students entered the beautiful, expanded cafeteria with much anticipation! Mrs. Hufnagel and her food service staff were able to prepare a variety of food choices in a brand new facility and create a functional food court that serves over 350 MS students. Special seating arrangements, such as booths and high top tables, will be available soon!
School Menu - November
Breakfast: $2.50
Lunch: $3.50
The preferred method of payment is to use the MySchoolBucks app to prepay. With this account, a guardian can:
1. View and print the student's cafeteria transaction history
2. Check to see how much money the student has in his/her cafeteria account.
3. Quickly access the account to deposit funds.
There is no charge for checking your student's balance. To use this service, a parent/guardian should go to the login page available on the school website and register as a new user.
Attendance Requirements
Following Pennsylvania School Code, all students under the age of 18 are mandated to attend school within the Commonwealth.
COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE PA CODE: 24 P.S. 13-1327 Pennsylvania state law defines compulsory attendance and school age as, “the period of a child’s life from the time the child enters school as a beginner, which may be no later than six years of age, until the age of eighteen or graduation from high school, whichever occurs first.” Therefore, school attendance is mandatory for all resident children within the compulsory ages to attend a school where the Standards of the State Board of Education are taught. School districts have the responsibility to maintain accurate and effective attendance records for their students. The Compulsory Attendance Law treats every absence as unlawful (unexcused) until the school receives a written excuse explaining the reason for the absence.
Excuses should be submitted to the school within three (3) days of the student’s absence. If an excuse is not received, the day(s) of absence is permanently classified as unlawful. Email excuses to MS-excuse@ltsd.k12.pa.us.
Students are permitted a maximum of ten (10) absences per school year. All absences beyond the lawful allowance require a physician’s excuse. The Compulsory Attendance Law can be found in detail at the Pennsylvania Department of Education.School Hours
Our instructional hours at LTMS take place between 7:40 AM and 2:40 PM. Students MUST be in their Lancer Period classrooms no later than 7:40 AM. The middle school doors open at 7:20 AM. Students may receive a free breakfast in the lobby area and enjoy some social time with classmates until they are released to lockers and classrooms at 7:30 AM. Students arriving to their Lancer Period classrooms after 7:40 AM are marked as tardy and may be subject to disciplinary action and accumulate demerits. Let's strive to arrive on time!
Cell Phones and Dress Code
We recognize that each student’s mode of dress and grooming is a manifestation of personal style and individual preference. However, it is necessary that all students dress appropriately for all school functions to maintain a safe, healthy, and learning-focused environment. The Loyalsock Township School District supports the dress and appearance of students to reflect and prepare them for the business and social world.
- Midriffs should be covered on all sides of the body, including while raising hands or stretching.
- The shoulder area should be covered at all times. Please refrain from wearing tank tops, spaghetti straps, muscle tees, etc.
- Shorts and skirts should have a 3" inseam or longer.
- Holes in pants should be below the 3" inseam.
- Undergarments should be covered at all times.
- If wearing leggings, a shirt covering the buttocks area is required.
- Pajama bottoms are discouraged.
2023-2024 Bell Schedules
2023-2024 School Calendar
Winter Athletics
Winter Sports physicals will be held on Friday, November 3rd, starting at 3:00 PM. Please call or stop by the HS office to reserve your spot. On-line registration should be completed prior to the exam. There is a $10 physical fee, payable at the time of the exam. Checks or cash will be accepted. Additionally, there is an annual Pay-to-Play fee of $50, due upon registration. That fee can be paid on-line when completing your registration, or you can pay by cash or check, at the time of the exam. Please make all checks payable to LTSD. Please note, these fees carry-over from year to year. Seniors must satisfy this financial obligation before receiving his/her diploma.
On-line registration can be completed by visiting the Athletic Website at www.ltlancers.org and clicking the link for online registration. If your student athlete played a sport in the Fall, log in to your student and/or parent Big Teams account and complete Section 7. If you answer "NO" to all the questions, your registration is complete. If you answer "YES" to any questions, you will be required to have a Section 8 completed by your physician. You can find Section 8 available for download on the website under the files & links tab. Once the completed Section 8 is uploaded, the Athletic Department will review for approval.
If your student did NOT play a fall sport, please have them log in to their student account, using their school email and the password "bigteams". Please Note: Student accounts have already been created. Students do NOT need to create new accounts. All sections of PIAA Pre-participation packet and school required documents should be completed and digitally signed. You (or the student) will be required to send a invitation to link to a Parent Account. The invite can be found under "linked accounts". Once you've accepted the invitation, and created your parent account, you will be required to complete any incomplete forms and digitally sign, as the parent. Please be sure to upload a current physical, dated after June 1, 2023. After the registration is complete, it will be reviewed for approval by the Athletic Department. You can find detailed instructions on registration process in the announcement section of the Athletic Website.
Reminder: Your student athlete will NOT be permitted to begin practices if their registration is incomplete. If you have any questions about registration or physicals, please call Shannon Butters, Athletic Secretary at 570-326-3581 ext. 1300.
Athletics Website
Please visit our website to view team schedules, photos, announcements, events, etc. Don't forget, while visiting the website, to sign up for your own "Fan Account" so you can stay up to date with all your team’s schedules and scores. You can also download your favorite teams schedule right to your own personal calendar. Find your team's calendar, click on subscribe, and follow the instructions. Changes to events, including day, time, location, etc., will automatically be updated on your personal devices.
General athletic questions may be directed to :
Athletic Director, Mr. Ben Lorson blorson@ltsd.k12.pa.us
Athletic Secretary, Mrs. Shannon Butters SButters@ltsd.k12.pa.us
LTSD Blackboard App
School calendars
Student/parent portal
News feeds & announcements
MySchoolBucks (cafeteria)
Various resources/forms
Moodle access
Clubs and activities