The Tiger Times Newsletter
Pleasantdale Middle School
November 17, 2019
Phew! That 1st Trimester Went Fast!
Friday, November 22 is a half-day
Report Cards Posted Friday, November 22 at 3:30 p.m.
Book Fair Coming to the Middle School
Pleasantdale Family Tech Talk
Food Drive Support Requested
Sports and Games Club in November!
Intramural Volleyball Mondays in November and December
Parent Education Corner
As a follow up to the "Technology Your Children Are Using" presentations this past week, I wanted to share some highlights, along with the presentation, for your perusal.
1. Teens are mainly using Snapchat and Instagram as their social media while watching a lot of YouTube. Students (mainly boys) are also playing Fortnite. If you are unfamiliar with any of these, please click through the presentation to learn more and spend time learning about them with your child.
2. Kids should not have their devices in their rooms overnight. Create a charging station in a common area of the house where all devices can charge overnight.
3. You should have passcodes to your kids' devices and should go into them regularly. This can oftentimes be the best deterrent for misuse and misbehavior online.
4. Keep the lines of communication open with your child. There are many topics in which you want them to come to you for the answers instead of going to their friends or even worse, people they don't know on the internet.
Upcoming Parent Presentations
Parent Presentations at LTHS
February 25: 7:30 p.m. "Drugs, Alcohol, and the Teen Brain" Presented by Tammy Tunac (MA, LPC, CADC Behavioral Health Clinician), LT South Campus
Nazareth Academy Parent Offerings
Click here to see Nazareth Academy's Parent Speaker Series this year!
Calendar Dates for the Year
If you are like me, you want to know the dates for the year as far in advance as possible. As long as you understand that something may change due to unforeseen circumstances, I’d like to provide you access to the dates we’ve planned for the year (many of which are in the paper calendar you received in the mail). To access the middle school calendar dates, please click here.
Collections at the Middle School
We collect the following at the middle school:
1. Pop Tabs-The Pop Tab competition by grade has begun so please continue to collect Pop Tabs for us throughout the year. We donate them to Ronald McDonald House to support families of children with cancer.
2. Box Tops for Education-These are all given to the PTO to support our schools!
Throughout the year, there are other collections and drives that occur. Keep an eye out for how you can support the causes that are important to the students and staff here!
Tiger Tipline
While it is always best to talk directly to a staff member, we understand that sometimes this can be uncomfortable or difficult for students or parents. At Pleasantdale Middle School, we offer the Tiger Tipline as an anonymous tool for reporting unsafe, uncomfortable, or unkind behaviors and situations. We explicitly teach the students that if they ever see something or hear something that makes them feel unsafe, uncomfortable, or is unkind, either online or in person, they should tell a “trusted adult” which could be parents, school personnel, or other adults in their lives. The Tiger Tipline can be accessed here and we will post the link in Schoology and create a shortcut to the link on the student devices for easy access.
School Spirit Fridays!
Lunch information
The lunch menus have been upgraded significantly to show both nutritional information and allergens for the food served by Just a Dash, our third-party partner to provide hot lunch to our school. Here's the link to the menu:
October/November Lunch Menu, Nutritional Information, and Allergens
To put money on your child's account, please log into Skyward and add money. For more complete directions or apply for free or reduced lunches, please visit here.
Follow Us on Twitter @Pdaleprincipal for updates and pictures of the happenings around the middle school!
Follow pdalemsactivities on Instagram for reminders about school spirit days and events throughout the year!
This Week...
Monday, November 18
Open Art, 7:30 a.m., Mrs. Washburn’s room (Room 3)
6-8th Grade Orchestra, 7:30 a.m., Band/Orchestra Room
Boys' Choir, 7:30 a.m., Music Room
5th Grade Band, 3:30-4:25 p.m., Band/Orchestra Room
Newbery Club, 3:30-4:25 p.m.
Open Library 3:30-4:30 in Mrs. Schmager’s room (Room 13) until the library is reopened
Sports and Games Club, 3:30-4:25, meet in Room 1A (STEM Lab) - board and card games
Boys’ Basketball Game Home vs. McClure White, 4:15
Tuesday, November 19
Open Art, 7:30 a.m., Mrs. Washburn’s room (Room 3)
6-8th Grade Band, 7:30 a.m., Band/Orchestra Room
7th, 8th Grade Girls' Choir, 7:30 a.m., Music Room
5th Grade Orchestra, 3:30-4:25 p.m., Band/Orchestra Room
Open Library 3:30-4:25, Mrs. Schmager’s room (Room 13) until the library is reopened
Sports and Games Club, 3:30-4:25, meet in the South Gym - floor hockey
Tech Intern Club, 3:30-4:25, Library
Spirit Squad, 3:30-4:25
Boys’ Basketball Game Away @ Gurrie, 4:15
Wednesday, November 20
Open Art, 7:30 a.m., Mrs. Washburn’s room (Room 3)
6-8th Grade Orchestra, 7:30 a.m., Band/Orchestra Room
5th, 6th Grade Girls' Choir, 7:30 a.m., Music Room
Student Council Meeting, 7:30 a.m., Room 25
Thursday, November 21
Open Art, 7:30 a.m., Mrs. Washburn’s room (Room 3)
Boys' Choir, 7:30 a.m., Music Room
Student Council Meeting**, 7:30 a.m., Room 25
**Thursday meetings are meant for the students that cannot come on Wednesdays
5th Grade Band, 3:30-4:25 p.m., Band/Orchestra Room
Open Library 3:30-4:30 in Mrs. Schmager’s room (Room 13) until the library is reopened
Sports and Games Club, 3:30-4:25, meet in the South Gym - Soccer
Communications Club, 3:30-4:25, Library
Gaming Club, 3:30-4:25, Library
STEM Club, 3:30-4:25, STEM LAB
Boys’ Basketball Game Away @ Willow, 4:15
Friday, November 22-Half Day AM for Students
Jazz Band, 7:30 a.m., Band/Orchestra Room
5th, 6th Grade Girls' Choir, 7:30 a.m., Music Room
7th, 8th Grade Girls' Choir, 7:30 a.m., Music Room
Yoga, 7:35 a.m., small gym (mats are provided)
Report Cards Open, 3:30 p.m.
A Look Ahead...
Monday, November 25-No Student Attendance
Parent Conferences, 1-8 p.m.
Book Fair in the library, 1-8 p.m.
Tuesday, November 26-No Student Attendance
Parent Conferences 12-7 p.m.
Book Fair in the library, 12-7 p.m.
Wednesday, November 27-Sunday, December 1
Thanksgiving Break
Questions? We're here to help!
Athletics: 708-246-7382
Mr. Mark Dreher, Athletic Director, mdreher@d107.org
Attendance notification: 708-246-3210, extension 5 or email middleattendance@d107.org before 8:20 a.m., please.
Health Office: 708-246-7619
Mrs. Denise Rende, Nurse, drende@d107.org
Main Office: 708-246-3210, extension 0
Mrs. Charlotte Reschke, Secretary, creschke@d107.org
Ms. Maria Cuevas, Clerical Aide, mcuevas@d107.org
Mrs. Brianne Malatt, Assistant Principal, bmalatt@d107.org, 708-246-7373
Mr. Griffin Sonntag, Principal, gsonntag@d107.org, 708-246-7609
Social Worker: 708-246-7505
Ms. Carrie Castaldo, Social Worker, ccastaldo@d107.org