Unami United
September 25, 2017
Dear Unami Parents, Guardians & Students,
What an amazing turnout out we had at our Back-to-School nights. Based on our 1st period tallies, 797 parents/guardians were in attendance! Thank you for your commitment and care. We love working with you!
Despite the abbreviated week, students continued to dive into their academics, athletics, and other extracurricular activities!
We hope you enjoy our newsletter!
Unami United,
Mrs. Lang
Principal
Unami 8th/9th Grade Parents Have Their Turn at Back to School Night
The evening of Tuesday, September 19 was our 8th/9th grade parents’ turn to visit Unami and walk through their child’s schedule for our Back to School Night! Mrs. Lang spent about a half hour with the parents, reviewing important components of middle school with focus on the new middle school schedule, especially expanded specials options and every day advisory to support the social, emotional, and academic needs of our students. Parents were then tasked with following their child’s schedule, following a simulated student day for presentations from core content area teachers and an open house of specials classes to allow them to visit all the specials classes/teachers their child will have this year. Kudos to our veteran Unami parents who all did very well! As we did with the previous week's 7th grade meeting, the evening concluded with light refreshments in the auxiliary gym.
Once again special thanks to our NJHS volunteers, many of whom returned from last week’s stint, for helping our 8th/9th grade parents with directions and for making announcements about period/class movement.
Thank you to our 8th/9th grade parents for attending. It is our wish that the many smiles we saw were evidence of both a wonderful evening and your positive feelings about the schedule changes we have made to support your children.
INSTRUCTIONAL SPOTLIGHTS
CREATING A POSITIVE DIGITAL FOOTPRINT
FAMILY & CONSUMER SCIENCE
EXPLORING OUR WORLD...
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING...
Students engaged in an experiential activity where they made the same decisions the Ancient Greeks did in reaction to the geographical settings of Greece. They completed a geography challenge that used the online textbook. This helped the students gather general information on the geography of Greece. They constructed the why, which informed their "gut" instinct choices. They then used Google Street View and Cardboard VR glasses to "visit" Greece in class. The students went to Athens, Sparta and Corinth. They stood on the Acropolis, Mount Olympus, and the shores of the Ionian, Aegean, and Mediterranean Seas. They could explore and see if their surroundings were the same as or different from what they read in the textbook. They recorded their observations in their OneNote notebook.
STUDENT SERVICE TO OTHERS - SOUTH CLUSTER HURRICANE RELIEF EFFORT
As part of that effort, all of our schools are planning different activities to support the relief effort. Tamanend and Unami are in the planning stages of a Walk-a-Thon. Please stay tuned for the details.
Magazine Drive Still Going!
Turn-in day #1 for the Magazine (and Cookie Dough) Drive has come on gone. Our inventory work on Wednesday, September 20 showed modest sales for Unami. While we are thrilled with any financial support we can get to benefit students, we are asking students intending to participate to be sure they have their final turn-ins submitted on our final turn-day, Thursday, September 28. As an added incentive, we will extend the ability to qualify for the trip to the Lincoln Financial Field Eagles Experience (October 19) to the end of the drive. So, if a students has at least 12 orders over the duration of the drive, they will qualify for the trip!
Remember, additional prizes are also offered to students with 30, 40, and 50 orders!
AND… there is a tuition rewards component and a military donation component (for those who do not want magazines or cookie dough).
Thank you to those students/families who have already placed orders to support Unami. Thank you to all of our students/families for the many ways you support us around the clock and calendar.
Duck feeding will begin early during the week of September 25, as ducks and lanyards are distributed on Monday, September 25 during 5th period.
Finally… remember that if Unami can total the highest percentage of overall student body sales among the 5 CB middle schools, then we earn the coveted Giant Turquoise Bling Duck! We have our Giant Green Bling Duck from 2 years ago. The Giant Red Bling Duck waddled over to Tamanend last year. Let’s get our green duckie a brother, and bring the Giant Bling back to Unami!
Click here for a direct link to the on-line store.
UNAMI ATHLETICS - INCLUDING 9TH GRADE SPORTS
Our fall sports' season is in full swing! We are looking forward to the many opportunities for our students to enjoy the competitive play and for their parents, families and friends to cheer them on!
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS' ATTENDANCE
Middle school students wishing to attend a high school sporting event need to be accompanied by a parent/guardian. The parent/guardian will be required to stay in the stadium/ facility for the duration of the competition. All students will also be required to present a valid Central Bucks id in order to gain admission to an event.
PENNSYLVANIA LEGISLATURE ENACTS NEW ATTENDANCE REGULATIONS
As of this year, there is a change to the attendance procedures all Pennsylvania schools are required to maintain. Please be aware that as of September 5, 2017, new PA legislation (Act 138) went into effect.
Act 138 stipulates that after three unlawful absences (including unexcused absences) within one school year, parents will receive a letter from the school outlining the consequences of habitual truancy and inviting them to a School Attendance Improvement Conference (as required of schools per the legislation).
Additional absences may result in a referral to an attendance improvement program, referral to Bucks County Child and Youth Services, and/or a citation for violation of compulsory attendance laws. Penalties for conviction include fines of up to $750 for each offense.
If your child is absent, please be sure to contact the school at 267-893-3420 by 9:30 a.m. the day of his/her absence or to send a written note or email within three (3) days of the absence. We ask that you continue to send notes in with your child for late arrivals and early dismissals.
Students with unlawful absences are also subject to school-based disciplinary consequences. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter
WHO WANTS TO BE LINKED IN UNITY?!
Throughout the year, and especially in Unami United Advisory, we support our students as they learn to find their voice and "stand up" for themselves and others. Once our students leave Unami and go on to CB South High School, building student advocacy is continued and broadened through a program called "First LINK." As a part of LINK's service outreach, those South students work with our Unami students to foster community building and servant leadership. We call this "Link to Unity" or L2U for short.
We will have our first L2U on Saturday, November 11th for all interested 8th and 9th graders who have not been linked before. To receive an invitation to L2U, students (or parents, guardians, teachers) need to fill out a quick nomination form. We will send invitations based on nominations in late October. That means we need nominations by October 20. Students who return the signed permission form first will be the ones who are admitted to L2U.
L2U starts at 8:30 and ends at 11 a.m. Being that it is an action and learning packed two-and-a half hours, students must commit to attending the entire session (no leaving early). Participation is free and student participants get a L2U t-shirt at the end.
IMPORTANT UPCOMING EVENTS
September 28 - 2nd (and final) Magazine Turn-In Day
Parent Council @ 9AM
October 9 - 13 - CB Celebrate Education Week
October 13 - South-Side Walk-a-Thon for Hurricane Relief
October 13 - Fall Dance 7:30 PM
*For more details please visit the Unami website
Unami School Store
Big News!! The school store will now be OPEN during the school day!! It will be open EVERY Monday and Thursday during resource. That would be 2nd period for 7th graders, 3rd period for 8thgraders and 6th period for 9th graders. You will need to get a school store pass from your resource teacher to go to the store. The store is currently selling tons of school supplies and Unami Spirit items. In the coming weeks new Unami and South apparel along with teacher and staff apparel will be arriving!! More information will be coming on how to order these items soon. Look on the scroll or outside the school store for reminders about times and pricing.
SEPTEMBER PARENT COUNCIL
As a Unami parent or guardian, you are invited to attend and participate in our monthly parent council meetings. This is an opportunity for you to be an informed member of our learning community. We make it a practice to highlight our many students' accomplishments and update you on coming attractions.
Parent Council typically meets on the third Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. There is no obligation to attend all Parent Councils and there are no elected positions. We make it a practice to highlight our many students' accomplishments and update you on coming attractions. Please consider joining us!
At September's Parent Council, we will give an overview of Unami and talk about topics of parent interest for Parent Council meetings throughout the year.
Thursday, Sep 28, 2017, 09:00 AM
Unami Middle School
Parent Portal
Through this secure online tool, parents have access to information about their student(s). Parents are ableto view their student's attendance record, schedule,assessment data, interim progress reports, report cards, immunization records and family demographic information like address and phone numbers. The parent portal has proven to be very popular and helpful. Go to the Unami or any district website and click on the portal icon near the top of the page. Click here to view Parent Portal tips and frequently asked questions (you may also apply for an Activation Key here).
If you (or someone you know) does not know how to get into the Portal, please click here and follow the directions under "Portal Help." The Portal is an important tool for parents and guardians. Throughout the year you can use the Portal to view current grades, attendance, immunizations, state assessment scores, and more. This is also where you can update your email address and phone number as well as emergency contact information for your student.
Your student also has their own access to the Portal. Students should click here for an informational screencast to learn how to access the Portal. The screen-cast can help both parents and students access the Portal by smart phone.
You can also keep up to date by going to each teacher’s website for classroom information. Just go to the Teacher Websites link on the Unami website.
If you do not have access to a computer for this information, please contact the teacher. Phone numbers and email addresses are also available on Unami's Staff Page.
VOLUNTEER REQUIRED PAPERWORK
Pennsylvania law requires all persons having direct contact with school children must obtain background checks and clearances by July 1, 2016. If you are planning on being in a Central Bucks school for any reason, you will need to go to Volunteer Required Paperwork, complete what is needed to obtain your Volunteer ID Card. You will need that and another piece of photo ID to volunteer at a CB school.
CB CARES
QUICK & HELPFUL LINKS
- CBSD Mobile App - Students and parents can get a FREE CB App to keep up with all things Unami and CB.
- CB Facebook - Current happenings in the district.
- MyPaymentsPlus
- Parent Portal - Ongoing student progress reporting and more
- Unami Parent Resources
- Student Portal - Screencasted directions on how students can access a portal of their own
- Unami Daily Announcements
- Unami Dress Standards
- Unami Cell Phone Practices & Rules
- CB Cares Education Foundation's Backpack Newsflash
- E-Friday Folder
- 2017-2018 Unami Calendar
- Get Unami Tweets!
2017-18 District Calendar
Click here for one-page calendar and monthly calendar of events.
Fundraise for Unami While You Shop-- A Fantastic Way to Support Your School!
If you use the following vendors, please think about supporting UMS while you shop:
- If you shop at Target and have a Target Red Card, you can register your card for Target's Take Charge of Education program so that Unami receives a percentage of your spending. Thank you to all Target shoppers!
- Giant Food Store has an A+ School Rewards program through their clip-less coupon card. Note, each year you need to reselect Unami so that your shopping benefits UMS.
- Clip and send in Box Tops to the attention of NJHS; or, shop at the Box Top Market Place where you will find vendors such as Best Buy, KMart, Justice and more.
- If you like to shop online, check out the eScrip Online Mall. When you sign up for an account, selecting Unami earns money for our school.
Follow @ CBSDInfo on Twitter
Follow Central Bucks School District @CBSDInfo for up-to-the-minute notifications of school delays, closures and emergencies.
Unami Middle School
Email: cbsdunami@cbsd.org
Website: cbsd.org/unamims
Location: 160 S. Moyer Road, Chalfont, PA
Phone: 267-893-3400