Hello Lower Moreland Families,

We hope you have a wonderful holiday season with your 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

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.

Pin Your Place- Cultural Map- The C.E.T. has purchased a large world map and placed it in the hallway near the auditorium. Students and staff can use the QR-code to enter information for “Places of Affiliation” and “Places I would like to visit”. The CET would like the school to have a visual representation of all of our cultural entities as well as the student body’s interests of exploring new cultures and ethnicities. You can download the QR code below to “Pin your Place”.

The CET is planning a Multicultural Event at the High School the evening of March 10th- Look for details in upcoming correspondence.

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.

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.

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.

Registered grade 10 students will be bussed to/from our campus. Thursday, December 15, 2022, from 12:15 pm—1:45 pm (return to LMHS).

Grade 10: LMHS Visits EASTERN (registration required) - MEDICAL/PERMISSION FORM DUE 11/22 TO MRS. ROMANO

Get on the bus and venture to the Eastern Campus for LIVE hands-on participation in two ECAT programs (of choice).

This is a great opportunity for grade 10 students to hear from our very own LM students attending an ECAT program. Learn about their experiences and how to manage a dual high school enrollment. Also, 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.

Parents/Guardians of Class of 2024 - Junior Conferences will begin January 12th, 2023. Please click here : Junior Conference letter (Info) for detailed information.

Exciting news! The school counselors have added an Instagram account as an additional mode of communication of all things related to LM's Comprehensive Developmental Counseling Programming. Check us out on our new thread @lmhscounselors

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.

Social Media Addiction- A message from you School Psychologist 12-7-22

Adapted from: The Newport Institute- Empowering Minds, Restoring Families

What is it?

For many young people, checking social media is the first thing they do when they wake up in the morning and it’s the last thing they do at night. Research shows that 16- to 24-year-olds spend an average of three hours a day using social media. Increasing numbers of people sense that their habits are not healthy for them. But when does social media overuse turn into a true social media addiction? And what can you do to protect yourself from the harmful effects of social media on mental health without missing out on the benefits of the apps?

Why is social media so addictive?

Humans have survived as long as we have thanks to our instinct for social behavior. Experts theorize that our brains have evolved to reward social interactions with the release of particular neurochemicals. Chief among these is dopamine. Dopamine is released whenever we engage in survival-oriented activities that our “primitive brain” deems beneficial, such as eating or exercise. Dopamine’s neural pathways are central to learning, habit formation, and addiction. Small, frequent, and unpredictable rewards with low investment (sometimes known as the “slot machine effect”) are the most effective form of habit reinforcement. Such rewards have been built into social media functions, keeping the user engaged for longer. Not only that, but our Dopamine levels increase with just the anticipation of a potential reward. This means that thinking about checking out our social media feeds to see what’s new or how many likes we have can easily become a dopamine-driven compulsion. Friends and followers, likes and “streaks,” satisfy our need not just for approval from others (validation), but also the equally compelling desire to offer it to others (reciprocity).

What can I do?

A digital detox can be an effective way to curb habits that can be the precursor to social media addiction. While complete abstinence can cause distress, research has shown that even a week of cutting back to 10 minutes per platform per day results in a greater sense of well-being. Moreover, reducing use also raises awareness of your habits and the effect they are having on you. A few simple steps can lead to permanent reductions in social media usage without a noticeable impact on your sense of connectedness. Try turning off notifications or keeping your phone out of reach at night.

Need more advice or assistance? Reach out to your school psychologist or member of the counseling team at the High School. (Tmollett@lmtsd.org)

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

Upcoming Home Athletics Events

12/13- Swimming and Diving vs. Abington (3:30 start), Boys Basketball vs. Cheltenham (JV 5:30, V 7:00)

12/14- Boys Basketball vs. Calvary Christian (JV 5:30, V 7:00)

12/16- Boys Basketball vs. New Hope (JV 5:30, V 7:00)

12/19- Boys Basketball vs. Holy Ghost (JV 5:30, V 7:00)

12/20- Girls Basketball vs. Springfield (JV 5:30, V 7:00)

12/22- Girls Basketball vs. William Tennent (JV 5:30, V 7:00)