“Where’s Olaf This Week?” Olaf decided he needed a break from filming to catch up on his reading, so this week we find him in our newly renovated Tamanend library. Tickets for Tamanend’s Frozen, Jr. Live Event and Streaming Event are now on sale. It is a show not to miss! The entire Frozen, Jr. cast and crew can’t wait to “see” you there! Thank you for your support of Tamanend players! Click here for performance times and ticket information. Visit this site to purchase tickets: https://www.showtix4u.com/events/19600

Tamanend UNICEF Unite Fundraiser at Chipotle in Valley Square--Tuesday, March 16 from 4 PM to 8 PM

Parent Council Meeting--Thursday, March 18 at 9:00 AM (virtually, on Teams)

Tamanend Musical (Frozen, Jr)--Saturday, March 20 & Sunday, March 21 (see purchasing information below)

Kelly Anne Dolan Memorial Fund Virtual Trivia Night--Thursday, March 25 at 7:00 PM (virtually, on Teams; information below)

Tamanend Parent Book Club--Tuesday, April 6 at 6:30 PM (virtually, on Teams; information below)

INFORMATION:

• Family ID is currently open for SPRING SPORTS registration but will close on Monday. All 7th and 8th grade students interested in playing a Spring sport for Tamanend this year must have their registration on Family ID completed by the end of the day on Monday, March 15th. On Tuesday the 16th, information that pertains to tryouts and the season will be distributed. That information will only be sent to those who are registered in Family ID. Tryouts will be held after school, starting on Monday, March 22nd. Please visit the FAMILY ID WEB SITE to register and be sure to upload your child’s PIAA physical form. If your child played a Fall and/or Winter sport, only a recertification form (Section 7 of the PIAA physical form) needs to be uploaded. Detailed directions on registering for sports can be found on TAMANEND'S ATHLETICS WEB PAGE
• There will be a meeting for all 7th and 8th grade boys playing lacrosse for Tamanend during the snack break on Wednesday, March 17th. The meeting will be held virtually whether you attend school in-person or online. Please be sure you are registered on Family ID by March 15. Click here to join the meeting
• Wrestling: This season wrestling was very different for the combined Tamanend-Unami Squad. New practice and competition protocols were among many challenges this small and very green team faced. Every team member met this challenge head on and showed the strength of heart, commitment, and tenacity it takes to be a wrestler. The team competed in 4 round robin style events, wrestling a total of 80+ individual bouts over the last 3 months. The team notched up its win percentage improving their stats in every event ending the season with over 450 points scored and 36+ individual bout wins. Most impressive of all in 80+ matches the team only lost by fall a total of 10 times. Do you have what it takes to join this elite squad next season? We hope so!. Email head coach Dan McAuley at dmcauley@cbsd.org for details of post season and summer opportunities to see what the sport is all about.
• REMINDER: Please keep in mind that students must go home at the end of the school day. It is the responsibility of the student-athlete and parent/guardian to coordinate transportation back to school on days of practices/games, as well as for away games.

FROM CB SOUTH:

• For any boy grades 9 through 12 next school year interested in trying out for soccer: Please join the following meeting on Tuesday, March 16th at 7:30 pm for the 2021 Men's Soccer interest meeting Click here to join the meeting

“Where’s Olaf this week?” Olaf decided he needed a break from filming to catch up on his reading, so this week we find him in our newly renovated Tamanend library. Tickets for Tamanend’s Frozen, Jr. Live Event and Streaming Event are now on sale. It is a show not to miss! The entire Frozen, Jr. cast and crew can’t wait to “see” you there! Thank you for your support of Tamanend players! Click here for performance times and ticket information. Visit this site to purchase tickets: https://www.showtix4u.com/events/19600

For the first time in Tamanend history, we will be hosting a KAD Virtual Trivia Night for the whole family! Since we can’t host our annual basketball tournament fundraiser, we thought this was a great way to bring our community together and continue our partnership with KADMF. Each family can form a team! The trivia game will be played live on Kahoot and hosted on Microsoft Teams.

You didn’t think we’d have a KAD event without prize baskets did you?! Don’t worry! There are still opportunities to win amazing prizes! Look for information about how to buy chances to win these prizes coming soon. We will have live drawings and announce the winners during the Trivia night! We will also have some special guests make appearances during the trivia night.

You don’t want to miss it! Here are all the details:

• Date: Thursday, March 25
• All TMS community members are invited to play.
• The game will begin at 7pm. Please log on by 6:45. The trivia game will last about one hour.
• This event is FREE, but everyone must register in advance in order to receive the link to the game.
• You can play as a single person or as a team, but everyone needs a team name and a team captain.
• Trivia questions will include a variety of topics, including some Tamanend-related trivia.

You will need two devices to play: A laptop or mobile device to join us via Microsoft Teams AND a mobile device with the free app Kahoot!, available on the Apple App Store or GooglePlay. Participants can login to Teams using the link at 6:45 pm and trivia will start promptly at 7pm. The Teams link will be shared with each team captain on Thursday, March 25 around 3:00pm.

In order to play, please fill out the registration form below by Thursday, March 25 at 12:00pm.

You will need to create a team name (KAD themed team names encouraged!) and designate a team captain. The team captain, who will be entering the team's answers, will need to enter this team name in Kahoot! on the night of the event.

Click HERE to register!

We look forward to playing with you on the 25th!

For the past twenty-one years, Tamanend Middle School in Warrington has been supporting the Kelly Anne Dolan Memorial Fund (KADMF). KADMF provides assistance for needs not covered by insurance to families who are caring for seriously ill, disabled or severely injured children in the tri-state area. Although they are often invisible to all but the family, the non-medical side effects of serious childhood illness can be devastating. The global coronavirus pandemic has created even more challenges for these families, and the financial assistance from KADMF can help ease these burdens.

The Annual Kelly Anne Dolan Shoot-Out at Tamanend includes a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, pick-up games, karaoke, prize baskets and other activities for the students and Tamanend community. In a typical year, five hundred Tamanend students participate in the event, and over the last twenty years the students have raised over $500,000 for KADMF. As you know, this year is different, and full of challenges for everyone. We will not be able to have our annual basketball tournament and KAD Shoot-Out event, but that is not going to stop us from continuing to support this incredible organization. To do this, we need your help. Please consider contributing to our fundraiser: “Goin’ Green for KAD”.

What Is “Goin’ Green for KAD”? “Goin’ Green for KAD” is one of a few fundraisers we would like to do to assist KADMF. We ask our Tamanend families to donate whatever is doable to help KADMF assist families. With this type of fundraiser, the entire donation supports the fund! Your contribution will mean so much to the families who need support from the KADMF this year. No donation is too small! There are many ways you can make your donation:

1. Use your My Payments Plus account, www.mypaymentsplus.com and after logging in, look for “Goin Green for KAD” and you can make your donation there.

2. Send cash/checks, made out to KADMF to school with your son/daughter.

3. Mail a check, made out to KADMF to Tamanend – indicate on the check that the donation is part of Tamanend’s event.

4. Mail a check, made out to KADMF directly to the fund (address is below) – Please make a note that your donation is part of Tamanend’s KAD Shoot-Out.

The Kelly Anne Dolan Memorial Fund is a 501(c) (3) charitable organization, contributions to which are tax-deductible as permitted by law. Thank you so much for your time and thoughtful consideration in reviewing this request. Should you have any questions about KADMF or this fundraiser, please feel free to contact Jeff Klein (jklein@cbsd.org). Thank you for your consideration and the support you devote to your children, our school community, and the value of serving and helping others!

We are writing to provide you with information regarding PSSA testing for your children. The Federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act requires school districts to administer standardized assessments to students in grades 3-8 in the spring of each school year. Last year, the U.S. Department of Education waived these standardized assessment requirements because of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The U.S. Department of Education has not granted an assessment waiver for school year 2020-2021.

Current Testing Requirements

On February 12, 2021, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) issued an update to school districts regarding PSSA testing. Currently, school districts are required to test students in grades 3-8 in-person and on-site, regardless of whether they are fully virtual, fully traditional, or participating in any type of hybrid instructional program. PDE lengthened the testing window to allow for greater flexibility in testing, including testing smaller groups for the sake of social distancing, thorough cleaning, and other prescribed safety protocols. Additionally, PDE has assured district officials that parents will be able to opt-out their children from testing this year, though the impact of parent opt-outs on school accountability has not been determined.

Extended Testing Window:

• PSSA Testing: April 19 – May 28, 2021
• PASA Testing: March 8 – May 7, 2021

Testing Survey for Parents of Virtual Students

Per PDE guidance, students who participate in a fully virtual program are required to test in-person and on-site. In CBSD, this means students will test on-site at their school of enrollment. To help us schedule PSSA testing, we are asking families of students who are enrolled in the 100% virtual program to complete a short PSSA Testing for Virtual Students Survey. This survey will close on Monday, March 15, 2021. We need to know the approximate number of students who will come to school in-person for this testing so that we may create a schedule that is aligned with the procedures and protocols contained within the CBSD Health & Safety Plan.

Parent Right to Opt-Out

Chapter 4 of Title 22 of the Pa. Code (22 Pa. Code 4.4) provides for the rights of any parent/guardian to excuse their child from the state assessment if, upon inspection of the testing materials, they find the assessment to be in conflict with their religious beliefs. For more information on requesting to exclude your child from testing, please visit the CB assessment page on our website.

Continued Communication

We will communicate changes to state testing as we learn of them. Thank you for your understanding as we navigate changing guidance from PDE and the United States Department of Education.

Looking for some Tamanend gear? Here are the current opportunities to order Tamanend Spirit Wear:

Tamanend Spirit Wear from Caldwells in Doylestown

Click here for order form

Don’t forget to order your child’s 2020-2021 Tamanend Yearbook! The price of the yearbook is $40. The last day to order a yearbook is April 30. Please click the link here to take you to Jostens online ordering page. No preorders will be accepted in school – all orders must be done through Jostens. If you have any questions, please email Kristen Gerth at kgerth@cbsd.org.

Program Planning for the 2021-2022 school year has begun. Program Planning is the process by which students, parents, teachers, and guidance counselors collaborate to create each student's class schedule for the subsequent school year. The Central Bucks Program of Studies, which explains the program planning process and describes all courses, can be found on the CBSD website and below.

Program Planning Timeline

• January 4--Program of Studies booklet for Grades 9-12 available online. Click here to view.
• January 5--Program planning presentation for current 9th Graders (during school day)
• January 7--Central Bucks South Curriculum Fair website (for current 9th Graders) opens
• January 15--Program of Studies booklet for Grades 7 & 8 available online at https://www.cbsd.org/domain/387
• January 8 to March 17--Current 9th Grade students enter course requests at home via Parent Portal
• January 27--Program planning presentation for current 7th Graders
• January 28--Program planning presentation for current 8th Graders
• February 7--Course verifications for current 7th Graders viewable in Portal
• by February 11--Course verifications for current 7th Graders electronically confirmed by parents in Portal
• February 23--Course verifications for current 8th Graders viewable in Portal
• by March 2--Course verifications for current 8th Graders electronically confirmed by parents in Portal
• March 19--Course verifications for current 9th Graders viewable in Portal
• by March 25--Course verifications for current 9th Graders electronically confirmed by parents in Portal.

Here is the link to Tamanend's Program Planning page.

Hello! Are you looking for a way to connect with other kids from school while you are learning from home in the virtual setting? Mrs. Cammann is hosting a Wellness/Snack Break Social time each day from 10:35-10:55 during the virtual and hybrid learning models. Students are invited to join in to share some conversation and be connected with students across all grades. On Wednesdays, we will have games and trivia during this time! You are welcome to participate daily or pop in occasionally - no pressure. Maybe you will even get to know some new faces! Just click the link below to take part, socialize, and participate, while using our Tamanend ROAR to respect and include each other in this group. Enjoy your snack and unwind with us at 10:35 any day. Hope to see you there! Click here to join the meeting

Join us for the Tamanend Parent Book Club. This year, we will be reading It's Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens (2015) by Danah Boyd. The book describes how social media impacts teenagers and how they connect with the world around them. This book club will follow a "no-pressure" format in which the facilitator will present a summary of the chapter and open the floor for discussion. We will share resources and ideas with the goal of helping the entire Tamanend parent community navigate the challenges and joys of raising adolescents. The first meeting will be held on April 6 at 6:30 via Teams. Click here to read more about the Parent Book Club. Click here to join the meeting.

Are you interested in global issues and news? Do you want to get involved in helping people in your community and around the globe? Join the Tamanend UNICEF Unite Club. This club was started this year and the purpose of this club is serve as a space to discuss global issues, engage students, help students use their voice to enforce positive change, make better thinkers and communicators, and much more. Students will have the opportunity to learn about child protection, education, water, sanitation and hygiene which may align with certain areas of study, allowing for a more insightful, understanding life outside of the classroom. The club will also provide students with an opportunity to gain leadership positions on campus. Through fundraising, awareness, and community service, we will be able to help the millions of children who need our help. Please fill out this interest form https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=j0gLqp78hUGl4zhCIN8jyiSa13bnl15Kgt4n4oFy81FURjJUTThYNlM2M0xTN0pWNFU5MzNWUE9OQy4u if you are interested in the club. Meetings will be once every two weeks virtually A date for our first meeting will be sent out to those interested soon! If you have any questions feel free to contact Kalidindi.H055@student.cbsd.org , EORINSKI@cbsd.org , or AHIGGINS@cbsd.org.

Do you want to improve your speaking and analysis skills? Do you like exploring legal issues of everyday events? Or, just want to spend some time hanging out with Mr. Sterner and Mr. Heisey? We are pleased to offer the Mock Trial Club at Tamamend for any interested 9th graders. It’s a great way to learn about the legal profession and debate your way through an actual case as either a lawyer or a witness, as well as build your skills for future participation and competition at CB South. Please e-mail Mr. Heisey (jheisey@cbsd.org) or Mr. Sterner (dsterner@cbsd.org) if you are interested. Thank you!

While we can’t currently run Tamanend Today, our live weekly TV show, we are still seeking interested students who enjoy broadcast media and video production. We have some ideas for production until we can go live again, and we would like your ideas for when we can go live. Until then, join us and be a part of producing meaningful, pre-recorded broadcasts and features. If media production is your thing, please reach out via e-mail to Mr. Sterner (dsterner@cbsd.org) or Mr. Landis (mdlandis@cbsd.org) to be part of our Tamanend Today Club! Thank you!

Please report your child's absence in any of the following ways:

• Email: tamanendattendance@cbsd.org
• Phone (Attendance hotline): 267-893-2920

A reminder that students should check their Outlook email daily for important reminders and information from teachers. This is another great way to stay connected.

Since the beginning or the year, our parent drop-off and pick-up traffic has improved tremendously, but we still need your help. There will soon be an increase in daily traffic as more students return to in-person learning. We must remember that WE HAVE STUDENTS WHO WALK TO SCHOOL. Recently, we've seen an increase in cars speeding on Stuckert Road. For the safety of our students, please maintain a 15 mph school zone speed limit in our parking lots and along Stuckert Road. Thanks for your help!

One of the first steps to selecting a career is to become aware of the many options available. In Central Bucks schools, our students begin that process through the Career Readiness related curriculum in elementary buildings (QUEST, Economics Project in Social Studies) and secondary buildings (Success Plan, Information Technology classes).

Here are two videos which might inspire that search for just the right career. Watch them with your children and listen to what they say about what they see in their future.

For younger students: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9TLZBZ3eo8&feature=youtu.be

For older students: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bP89iBasyCE

For comments or questions, please contact Ginny Barrett at vbarrett@cbsd.org.

The Innovation and Technology Department has created this webpage to explain the many ways to access technology support.

https://www.cbsd.org/Page/63431

Dental exams are required for all 7th Graders. Any exam given since September 1, 2019 is acceptable. Please email your dental form to our certified school nurse, Mrs. Lauren Myrtetus at lmyrtetus@cbsd.org, mail it to us at 1492 Stuckert Rd. Warrington, PA 18976, or drop it off in the Main Office. The form can be found on this Tamanend Health Office page on our website.

Please notify our Certified School Nurse, Lauren Myrtetus, if you, someone in your household or your student have been diagnosed with COVID or if your student has been identified as a close contact of someone who has been diagnosed with COVID. Also, please notify Mrs. Myrtetus if your student is ill and is being tested for COVID.

If your students needs to quarantine, he or she should report directly to the nurse’s office on his or her first day back to school for a temperature and symptom screening.

Mrs. Myrtetus is happy to answer any questions related to COVID.

Lmyrtetus@cbsd.org

267-893-2915

Families can access the online application for Free & Reduced Meals by clicking here. The application must be submitted each year.

If you are experiencing a financial hardship, please know that the staff members listed below can help you and your family. We can provide assistance with food, clothing, field trips, student fees, internet access, and other issues. Please don't hesitate to contact us:

Brian Caughie, Principal bcaughie@cbsd.org

Kyle Dudley, Assistant Principal kdudley@cbsd.org

Lauren Myrtetus, Certified School Nurse lmyrtetus@cbsd.org

Jeff Klein, Guidance Counselor jklein@cbsd.org

Mandy Cammann, Guidance Counselor mcammann@cbsd.org

For those of you who are unfamiliar, the Boomerang Youth Recognition Award, it is a district-wide monthly program which recognizes and honors youth in our community for exemplifying and living by one of the chosen Developmental Assets®. These Developmental Assets were identified as a set of skills, experiences, relationships and behaviors that enable young people to develop into successful and contributing adults.

Nominations for March's Boomerang Asset are due by Friday, 03/26. The chosen for March is Asset #30: Responsibility- Recognizing a young person who accepts and takes personal responsibility. Please submit your nomination through this link.

Here is a list of ways Tamanend communicates with students, families, and the community:

• Tamanend website: includes important information, resources, calendar of school events, and daily announcements
• Calendar of school events (posted on our website)
• Daily announcements (scrolling on TV screens during school day and posted on our website)
• TV show (weekly, during Advisory period)
• Email blasts from Tamanend administration regarding important news, new procedures, and reminders
• Parent Portal: student information, grades, and attendance
• Tamanend Connections newsletter: useful information, important reminders, and school highlights emailed weekly during school year and posted on Tamanend website
• Twitter: @CBTamanendMS highlights of activities, events, and daily life at Tamanend
• CBSD app: highlights of activities, events, and daily life in Central Bucks