Hello Lower Moreland Families,

Please enjoy the latest newsletter for the 22-23 school year.

Thank you,

Mr. William J. Miles, Principal

P.S.- Don't forget to follow us on Twitter! @LMTSD_LMHS and Instagram at lmtsd-highschool

Since the beginning of the second semester, there has been an uptick to student lateness. I ask that students and their families give themselves enough time to navigate traffic in the township as well as on-campus traffic.

Student Parking:

All student parking spaces have been distributed. Only students who have an approved parking placard may park on the high school campus. Violations will result in warnings and/or citations.

LM PTA Scholarship Application: Every year, the Executive PTA board awards PTA-funded scholarships to graduating seniors! In order to apply for the scholarship, please click on this link: https://forms.gle/MJLRVbBKERzAaaSeA. DEADLINE TO APPLY: April 15, 2023

Senior Baby Picture: Use this link to submit a baby/toddler picture of your Senior! https://forms.gle/wgqs1eZbV4KacyDd8. This picture will be used in the pre-graduation slide show. Questions? Please email ehwan72@gmail.com. Thanks!

Congratulations! These graduating seniors will be considered for National Merit Scholarship Awards to be offered in 2023.

Adriana N. Ciuciu

Phillip M. Duarte

Nicholas G. Guntsadze

Daniel M. Popotov

Student course verification sheets will go live in HAC on Friday, February 24th. This page will show all requested and recommended courses for students. This is not their schedule for next year, it is only a list of courses that students could potentially be enrolled in. We encourage families to look these over with their students before students have their one-on-one counselor meetings which begin on March 7th. If students have questions about their courses, the one-on-one counselor meetings will be their opportunity to get clarity and make elective course adjustments for their 2023-24 school year course load.

Lower Moreland Junior, Ellie Lynch, participated the 2023 PMEA Region VI Choir Festival last weekend at West Chester University.

She sang an extremely challenging and beautiful repertoire that she has been learning over the last month with 160 other singers from District 11 & District 12. She re-auditioned against the 20 other Altos in her voice part to make the 2023 PMEA All State Choir.

Seniors receive a yearbook so you do not need to purchase one; however, you can purchase an ad recognizing your graduate. Go to the yearbook order center using this link: https://www.yearbookordercenter.com/product/yearbooks. The order number is 4071. Then, click on Yearbook Ads.

Parents of underclassmen: You should have received information for purchasing a yearbook from Herff-Jones. The link to purchase is: https://www.yearbookordercenter.com/product/yearbooks and the order number is 4071. Please note: ads can only be purchased for seniors.

Amily Chen, 10th grade, won an award from the Pennsylvania Art Education Association. Her artwork was selected for the Youth Art Month exhibition and it will be displayed in our state's Capitol building! Her work along with other K-12 PA student's work can be found here:Youth Art Month Exhibition

The NHS will be having its annual blood drive on April 24th during school hours. Please consider donating your blood to help those in need!

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is the nation’s leading not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to understanding and preventing suicide. Looking to support the cause? As a method of reducing stigma and using creative efforts to prevent suicide and help those impacted by suicide, the Interact Club is hosting the second “Out of the Darkness” Poetry Contest.

The contest is open to all high school students, parents, faculty and staff.

-Submitted poems should be no longer than 350 words in length- all styles accepted

-Poems created should inspire, encourage, provide hope, or foster determination and grit. We are looking for poems that speak to the importance of hope and resilience.

All questions and/or submissions should be made through email to Tmollett@lmtsd.org by Monday April 10th. Submissions should include your name and grade.

Please be aware that late buses are available for students who stay after school for clubs, sports, or other activities. Buses will arrive between 4:15 pm and 4:30 pm at the main entrance of the high school.

As you know from the recent construction project on the high school campus, the access road from Red Lion Road to the school campus was reoriented in preparation for the building of a new high school. With that reorientation comes new traffic patterns for which we need to be aware and make necessary adjustments. I understand that it may take additional time to navigate the areas around the school campus, but it is essential that we all follow safe driving practices. For the safety of our students, and to ease the traffic on the high school campus, I ask parents/guardians to follow these procedures:

For the safety of our students, and to ease the traffic on the high school campus, I ask parents/guardians to follow these procedures:

Morning drop-off and Afternoon pick-up

• Please follow all signs (including YIELD) and proceed across the front of the building to door 5 to drop off your student(s). Please do not stop in front of the Main Entrance.
• Please ONLY drop off students along the curb. It is not safe for students to exit a vehicle in the drop-off roadway.
• Please DO NOT drop off students before you get to the front of the school building, as there is not a safe walk way.
• If possible, enter the school campus using the Red Lion Road access road and turn right into the pick-up/drop-off loop.
• Please do NOT drop-off or pick-up a student in the front parking lot area.
• Please do NOT drop-off or pick up a student in the large main parking lot where staff and student drivers park as that could create a potentially dangerous situation.
• Please do not drop-off or pick-up a student in or near the bus loop.
• Administrators and/or a police officer are present to help direct vehicles, so please follow their instructions.
• Leave plenty of time to safely navigate the school campus.

Graduation Requirements & Keystone Exams:

The state graduation requirements have been updated for the class of 2023 and beyond. These new requirements offer alternate pathways for students to show college and career readiness in the event the Keystone proficiency pathway is not attained. The following are the five pathways for students to show postsecondary preparedness:

Keystone Proficiency Pathway

Keystone Composite Pathway

Alternate Career & Technical Pathway

Alternate Assessment Pathway

Alternate Evidence-Based Pathway

The attached slides provide detailed requirements for each pathway, how to prepare, and timeline for students. The attached graphic visual summarizes the options for students.

Students who participated in the 2022 Spring Keystone Exams should have received scores reports in the mail by now. If a student did not reach proficiency on one or more of the exams, we will recommend they participate in the Winter Keystone exams in early December. More information will be communicated home in early November.

Governor Tom Wolf has decreed that all school breakfasts for qualifying School Breakfast sites will be free starting October 1, 2022. For the Lower Moreland Township School District, this will begin on 10/3/22 and will continue for the remainder of the 2022/23 school year.

Please note that this will be for breakfasts only and that school lunches will continue to operate on a free or reduced or paid basis based on the classification of the student(s). The District is strongly encouraging families to fill out the Free and Reduced Applications if you believe your family will qualify.

The High School Code of Conduct is included in the school agenda book that is available to each student. It is also on the INFO section of the HS website.

If a parent or guardian would like a hard copy of the code of conduct, please contact Mrs. Curry at acurry@lmtsd.org,

All of your attendance reporting needs will be handled by one electronic form that will replace the Blue Card online form and the Yellow Card online form (used at Pine Road). This will also replace the need for a phone call to the attendance line.

• Use this form to report your child’s absence. Submitting this form will both report the absence and document it. No follow up Blue card is needed.

• Submit this form to sign your child into school late.

• Submit this form to sign your child out for an appointment (early dismissal). This form allows you to enter a return to school time if your child will be returning to school.

Please Note:

If you are taking an extended vacation, you will still need to complete the Request for Excusal from Regular School Attendance, familiar to most families as a vacation request form. The form is found on the Virtual Backpack under Forms.

Doctors’ notes still need to be submitted to the school attendance secretary or sent into school.

In our district, we are lucky to have students and families who are from diverse cultures. Did you know that in our district, we have over 30 languages spoken?

To better support our new families, we would like to invite you to participate in serving as a mentor. As a mentor, you would be responsible for explaining school routines and special events and answering any questions that arise.

For those families who do not speak English as their native language, working with a mentor family who speaks the same language could be very helpful in learning to navigate our school system.

If you are interested in volunteering your time, please complete THIS form. New families would contact you upon their arrival to the district.

Eastern Center for Arts and Technology is hosting an OPEN HOUSE on: Sunday, March 5, 2023 from 1:00 - 3:30 pm.
This is a great opportunity for grade 9 and 10 students to hear from ECAT students and learn how EASTERN programming can give students a competitive edge in college or in a specialized career program.
Visit https://www.eastech.org/ for more info.NEW! Eastern now has virtual tours by Career Cluster! View them on the links below:
Virtual Tours (created in 2020-21, but useful for those that cannot visit due to COVID)
Click here to take our Automotive and Manufacturing Career Cluster Tour! This tour includes Robotics and Automated Technology, Welding Technology, Automotive Technology, and Collision Repair Technology.
Click here to take our Healthcare Career Cluster Tour! This tour includes Allied Health and Veterinary Science.
Click here to take our Business, Computers, and Protective Services Career Cluster Tour! This tour includes Business and Technology Professional, Networking and Cybersecurity, and Protective Services.
Click here to take our Arts and Human Services Career Cluster Tour! This tour includes Cosmetology, Commercial Art, and Culinary Arts.
Click here to take our Construction Career Cluster Tour! This tour includes Construction Technology, Electrical Technology, and Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning.

Career Day Volunteers Needed!

Tuesday, March 21st at Lower Moreland High School

7:00am - 10:30am

We are looking for volunteers to speak at the Lower Moreland High School Career Day. There will be more details to follow, but the format will be 4-5 sessions (approximately 30 minute each) speaking to a classroom of students. Topics will include an overview of the career, expected education required, work-life balance, a day in the life, and some Q&A.

If you know anyone that would be willing to volunteer and come talk, please complete this Google Form. We will be reaching out in the next couple of weeks to all volunteers.

-Lower Moreland Counseling Department

Visit the site for program access and descriptions, https://www.eastech.org/domain/71

Please note, students will be notified of program placement in May (which may include wait-listing or alternative choice placement).

We wanted to provide some information to families following our LMTSD Parent/Guardian Bullying Prevention Information survey. Below are some answers to some Frequently Asked Questions and information related to district procedures.

Are you aware of the anonymous reporting system being used in Pennsylvania, Safe2Say Something?

Safe2Say Something is a statewide anonymous, 24-7, reporting process for a variety of safety concerns. Click HERE for more information on this initiative.

Are you aware of the Lower Moreland Township School District Harassment/Bullying Reporting Form?

This form is used to gather information about incidents related to bullying. Students, parents, teachers, and administrators can all use this form. This form can be found on each school’s website. Click HERE to view the form.

As a parent, I have a clear understanding of the school's policies, practices, and procedures related to issues of harassment and bullying.

All reported incidents related to bullying are investigated, regardless of how they are reported. The District Code of Conduct is the structure used to apply consequences. Cases are referred to the police if the nature of the incident requires it.

We continue to partner with students, staff, and families to provide a safe environment for all students.

Lower Moreland Township School District is committed to preventing all forms of bullying, cyberbullying, and harassment. For more information please see the district web site: https://www.lmtsd.org/Page/13723 In addition, please know that at the High School, bullying and harassment forms are available in the main office as well as the guidance office.

Vaping Tool Kit: Please use the link below to access the Montgomery County Dept. of Health's vaping tool kit. It has educational materials on vaping and e-cigarettes.

http://www.montcopa.org/vapingtoolkit

The spring sports season is quickly approaching, and FamilyID is active for you to register your child for all LMHS sports. The official start date for Spring Sports is March 6th, 2022.

The spring sports offered are as follows:

Baseball

Softball

Boys and Girls Outdoor Track

Girls Lacrosse

Boys Tennis

Required FamilyID PIAA Paperwork:

● PIAA Physical Sections 6 and 7 must be completed by a parent and doctor, stamped, and dated after June 1st, 2022. This is required to attend practices/tryouts.

● Please note: if your child played a fall or winter sport, you need to complete the registration for “Lower Moreland High School Spring Athletics 2023 Re-Certification.” If your child sustained an injury during the fall or winter season, you will need to submit Section 8 or 9 of the PIAA physical form.

● Submitted in the following way:

○ Uploaded to Family ID (FamilyID)

○ See the “FAMILY ID” section on the Lower Moreland Athletics page for more information.

○ All completed PIAA paperwork must be uploaded to your FamilyID profile no later than noon on Monday, March 13th.

Please see below for tryout/coaching info for all spring sports. Coaches will be distributing practice/game season schedules once teams are formed.

Baseball

Coach: Mike Guido (mguido@lmtsd.org)

Baseball try outs begin March 6th. Please be prepared for the weather with cleats and sneakers in case we are in the gym.

Softball

Coach: Karen Reese (kreese@lmtsd.org)

Softball will practice the week of March 6th from 3-5 on the LMHS Softball Field.

Boys and Girls Indoor Track

Coach: Greg Green (ggreen@lmtsd.org)

Outdoor Track will begin on March 7th at 3:15 PM. The students will meet Coach Green in the high school lobby.

Girls Lacrosse

Coach: Steve Wittmer (swittmer@lmtsd.org)

Girls Lacrosse tryouts will be held March 6th-8th from 3-5 at Valley Center Park.

Boys Tennis

Coach: Cliff Raben (craben@lmtsd.org)

Boys Tennis will have tryouts March 6th-10th from 3-4:45 at the LMHS Tennis Courts.

Extracurriculars

Congrats to the Mock Trial team on moving on to the Regional Quarterfinals!! The team will compete next on February 28th at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown.

Indoor Track

The Indoor Track teams raced at the Meet of Champs at Lehigh University on February 17th and 18th. On February 17th, the girls DMR placed 4th and broke the school record by 8 seconds!! They are currently ranked 11th in the state. On Saturday, Jack Becker placed 2nd in the mile, but did not qualify for states. Dylan Sandler placed 7th in the 800, setting a PR with a time of 2:03. The girls DMR will be competing at States on February 26th and then Nationals in March. Good luck in the coming weeks, ladies!!

Wrestling

Congrats to the following wrestlers for their achievements at the SOL Freedom Division Championships!!

Alex Kebuz - 1st at 139 lbs.

Josh Simon - 1st at 146 lbs.

Shakhrizod Pulatov - 3rd at 133 lbs.

Matteo Fiocca - 3rd at 285 lbs.

The team will next compete at the District One AAA East tournament at Quakertown HS on February 25th. Go Lions!!

Boys Basketball

The Boys Basketball team had a significant turnaround from a year ago, when they finished the season with a record of 6-15. The team finished 10-12 overall this year and had quite a few memorable victories, including a 45-38 win over Hatboro-Horsham in early January, and two 20-point wins over Springfield and William Tennnet (a District One playoff qualifier at 16-6) at the conclusion of the season. After going 2-3 against their division at the beginning of the season, the team went 4-1 against their division opponents down the stretch. The boys narrowly missed out on a playoff spot, finishing less than a point behind the 12 seed in the District One 5A power rankings.

Girls Basketball

The Girls Basketball team started off their season on a high note by winning the Bristol Tipoff Tournament. The girls soundly defeated Bristol HS by a score of 40-16 in the first round, and then dominated Mastery Charter Pickett 51-24 to claim the crown. The team played inconsistently the remainder of the season for various reasons, including injuries to several of their starters, but they came on strong in their last six games, winning 4 of 6 and defeating division rivals Cheltenham, Springfield, and William Tennnet. The girls ended the season on a three-game winning streak and defeated their non-league rival Jenkintown on Senior Night by a score of 44-30, finishing with an overall record of 8-14.

Swimming

On February 10th, the Girls Swimming team competed at the SOL Freedom Division Championships. The day saw LM swimmers become league champions in four different events:

200 Medley: Esther Park, Macayla McIntyre, Talia Wiggins, Isabella Gioia

200 Individual Medley: Esther Park

200 Free Relay: Esther Park, Macayla McIntyre, Talia Wiggins, Isabella Gioia

100 Breaststroke: Esther Park

The next day, the Boys Swimming team continued their recent run of dominance in the league. League champion medals were handed out to the following swimmers:

200 Medley Relay: Jude Blumhardt, Ashton Feldman, Josh Ferker, Nicholas Sleptsov

200 IM: Josh Ferker

50 Free: Jude Blumhardt

100 Fly: Jude Blumhardt

100 Breaststroke: Aiden Meehan

The teams will compete next at the District One Championships on February 24th and 25th. Good luck, everyone!!