Lower Moreland High School
Newsletter
January 15, 2020
Greetings Families and Happy New Year!
Please read through our Newsletter for important dates, announcements, news and happenings around our school.
Thank you,
Mr. William J. Miles, Principal
P.S.- Don't forget to follow us on Twitter! @LMTSD_LMHS
Important Dates and Reminders
Important Dates:
School Holiday- January 20, 2020
Mid-Term Exams- January 23, 24, 27, 28th
Early Dismissal- January 28, 2020
Mid-Term Exams- Jan 23rd to Jan 28th
The expectation is that each student be present to take an exam on the designated day and at the designated time. A student who misses an exam due to illness must have communication from a parent or guardian in to the attendance secretary indicating an illness.. A missed exam must be made up on the next school day during the make-up window, or have made arrangements with the classroom teacher. Further, the expectation is that all exams be completed by the end of the testing window, January 28th.
After January 28th, any remaining untaken exam will be handled administratively on a case by case basis. Untaken exams may be given a grade of zero. Please make every effort to ensure your child's attendance during the examination window.
What's Happening
"Team Disney+> Netflix" consists of seniors Aviel Resnick, Clay Ostroff, Logan Geffen and Philip Grabovsky.
Team "David and Big Bad Wolves" is made up by David Volchonok, Ashwin Thomas, Nihal Bankulla and Varun Singh. They won second place!
The program is put on and made possible by the PA SEED program and the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit.
Spirited Inquiry at the NCTE Annual Convention
Four high school English teachers attended the 109th Annual National Council of Teachers of English Annual Convention which was held in Baltimore from November 21-24. Annie Boagni, Kimberly McGlonn, Mark Rosser, and Dru Reis were among the 8,000 literary educators from around the country who gathered to exchange ideas about best practices to help students read, write, and get the most out of their English classes. The theme of the conference was “Spirited Inquiry.”
Presentations were given by college professors, English teachers from all grade levels, authors, and other leading experts in the language arts. In addition, there were hundreds of authors at the conference, speaking about their works. A few of the headlining authors were George Takei (author of They Called Us Enemy), Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and Tonya Bolden (co-authors of Dark Sky Rising), Tara Westover (author of Educated), Tommy Orange (author of There, There) and Meg Medina (2019 Newberry Award winner).
There were over 800 offerings for educators to choose from at the convention. Some of the sessions were large gatherings of over 400 educators in a lecture format. Lower Moreland teachers heard national experts such as Penny Kittle and Kelly Gallagher speak about techniques to help student engagement with reading. Other gatherings were smaller groups that allowed for more discussion and interaction. Several teachers attended a particularly popular session that focused on building communities of engaged writers. Some sessions started as large group meetings and then broke into roundtable discussions. Once teachers returned to Lower Moreland, they shared what they learned with the English Language Arts Curriculum Renewal Committee. The committee is in the first year of the curriculum renewal process. Overall, the variety of techniques that LM teachers learned about will help to bring new ideas to future Lower Moreland English classes.
General News and Announcements
Absence Procedures-Blue Cards
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZKH8dpnXH-6PJocTTsVJSPJKzfdhREVEPTxD2Uu1bd49d1w/viewform
Transportation Information
Yearbook Information
Remember, seniors receive a yearbook as part of their class dues, so there is no need to purchase one. You can, however, purchase a yearbook ad. The link for purchasing ads for seniors will be posted on the high school webpage.
Parents of underclassmen, you will soon be able to purchase a 2019-2020 yearbook for your child. The link for purchasing yearbooks will be on the high school webpage.
School Counseling Department
Happy New Year from the School, College and Community Counseling Department! We wish you all a healthy and prosperous 2020.
College / Career Counseling:
The school and college counselors are meeting with juniors for their group college planning seminars. Each junior should arrive home with a folder containing a copy of their unofficial transcript as well as a checklist to follow throughout the spring. Students were given the opportunity to begin their research on majors, professions and colleges with the guidance of the counselors. Key websites reviewed include:
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/majors-careers
https://student.naviance.com/lmhs
Juniors (and parents) are invited to schedule an individual 30-minute follow up meeting with their school counselor to discuss where they are in the process and to have the opportunity to ask questions in a confidential setting. Prior to scheduling a meeting, students should complete the required survey and Game Plan in Naviance. Meetings may be scheduled through Mrs. Forcina via phone at 215-938-0114 or email at lforcina@lmtsd.org. Please schedule early! The appointment window closes on Friday, February 28, 2020.
Mental Health:
With midterm exams quickly approaching, it may be a good time to check in with your teen about his or her level of stress. Here is one article focused on helping your student build a stress management plan: https://parentandteen.com/managing-stress-coping-with-challenges/
Interact Club News:
On Sunday, 12/15, Lower Moreland High School's Interact Club traveled to the Jewish Relief Agency in Philadelphia to package and deliver food boxes for those in need. Together with other volunteers, they were able to package over 4,000 boxes to deliver to low-income individuals across the greater Philadelphia area.
Resources for Parents and Guardians
Anti-Bullying FAQ
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.
LMHS PTA
The Lower Moreland PTA brings parents, students, school and community together to make a difference in the education & quality of life for our children.
We have many exciting things planned for this year, but we need your support! A LM PTA Membership is only $15 per Lower Moreland family. Please join here.
Please save the date for our annual PTA meeting at Eastern Center for Arts & Technology, including a tour and lunch, on Friday, February 21, 2020.
Lower Moreland Music Boosters
Tickets are available for the LM Music Designer Bag Bingo!!! Submit the form or order online.
This year's event will be Sunday, January 26th from 1-5PM. Food is included in your ticket price. Enjoy a fun afternoon while supporting our musicians!
New Music Department auto magnets are available for $5 each or 3 for $12. Submit the form or order online. Show your music pride.
CONGRATULATIONS to LMHS Jazz Band for being one of 12 ensembles in the country to be selected for the Swing Central Jazz Festival! Best of luck to you in Savannah!
Kudos to all LMHS music ensembles who performed at the December 12 concert. For a complete listing of upcoming concerts, check out lmhsmusic.com.
LMHS Cafeteria News
Lunch menus are posted on a new interactive website, Nutrislice. Our innovative and interactive site and mobile app make our school menus more convenient and informative than ever before! Download the Nutrislice App from the App Store or get it on Google Play and search Lower Moreland.
The price list for items purchased in the cafeteria are posted under Food Services (Cafeteria Information) on the school's website. 2019-2020 Price List.
The High School Cafeteria had Beef Gyros for lunch on January 6th. It was served with Couscous Salad and a toppings bar including lettuce, tomato, cucumbers, onions and homemade Tzatziki Sauce.
Athletics
Swimming Update:
Lower Moreland High School Girl’s Swimming’s Isabella Gioia went a 26.63 in the 50 Freestyle at Tuesdays meet vs. Upper Moreland, to eclipse Emily Vaidyan’s 2018 Freshmen School Record of 27.16.
Freshman Jude Blumhardt erased Jaden Feldman’s Lower Moreland High School Boy’s Freshmen records in both the 50 Freestyle and 100 Freestyle yesterday. Blumhardt’s 22.72 bested Feldmen’s 23.66 in the 50 Freestyle while Blumhardt’s 50.79 in the 100 Freestyle overtook Feldmen’s 51.89 School Record.
Congrats to both on the tremendous accomplishments.
Girls Basketball:
Congrats to the girls basketball team who won their bracket down in Wildwood over the Winter Break. The girls defeated Cedar Creek HS and Absegami HS.
Check out where our basketball teams are currently at in the current District I Standings.
Create a button to www.piaad1.org
Wrestling:
Congrats to Nick Bratspis and Pat Whittle who earned silver and 8th place medals at the Ralph Wetzel Holiday Wrestling Tournament at Hatboro Horsham.
Indoor Track Update:
Thomas Hellenbrand, Russell Wynn, Noah Kim, & Alex Kebuz finished 2nd in the Distance Medley Relay and qualified for the Meet of Champions. Tim Baciu placed 6th recently and also qualified for the Meet of Champions.
The girls are back in action this Friday up at Lehigh University.
Spring Sports are slated to begin Monday March 2nd. Look for information in the coming weeks for registration on FamilyID.
About Us
Email: acurry@lmtsd.org
Website: lmtsd.org
Location: 555 Red Lion Road, Huntingdon Valley, PA, USA
Phone: 215-938-0220
Twitter: @LMTSD_LMHS