The Tohickon Golden Eagle
February 2020
RELAY FOR LIFE SET TO KICK-OFF
Dear Tohickon Families,
The month of February has arrived and with it comes the kick-off for Relay for Life. Relay for Life is a school and community-based fundraising event for the American Cancer Society. In Central Bucks, the event is open to all eighth and ninth grade middle school students throughout the district. The event begins at Tohickon with a “Kick-Off Assembly” on February 11 continuing through the culminating day on May 16. Ms. Michelle Ball and Mr. Zachary Sibel, the primary coordinators of the event at Tohickon, work tirelessly to make this event the best it can be and we are very thankful for all of their efforts. They, along with other teacher volunteers at Tohickon, do this on their own time for the benefit of our students, community and those struggling with this horrific disease.
The Relay for Life Kick-Off Assembly is a very impactful event, inclusive of cancer survivors and emotional stories of how cancer has changed the lives of so many. During this event, the logistics of the program will be explained to students along with the importance of community service. Following the assembly, Ms. Ball and Mr. Sibel have arranged a very special luncheon for all of the survivors that participated. If you are the parent of an eighth or ninth grade student, please encourage them to participate in this wonderful event!
In addition to the Relay for Life Kick-Off, the month of February has some other key events to make note of. Sixth Grade Parent Orientation is scheduled to take place on February 18, Program Planning will be in high gear for grades 7/8 and we will end the month with a presentation to our ninth graders from Tom Gannon, our local district attorney, on drug awareness.
On behalf of our staff and administration, we wish all of you a fantastic month! If you have any questions regarding the contents in this newsletter, please do not hesitate to contact the main office at (267)893-3300 or the guidance office at (267)893-3310. Best wishes!
Sincerely,
Kevin Marton
Tohickon Principal
There are upcoming events of which students and parents should be aware of. The events for the month of February are as follows:
February 3
- Community Connections Meeting in the Tohickon Library - 6:00 to 7:00 PM
February 7
- Math Midterms in several math classes
February 11
- Relay for Life Kick-Off Assembly for 8th and 9th Grade Students
February 18
- 6th Grade Orientation beginning at 7:00 PM. Parents can meet with subject area coordinators from 6:30 until 7:00 PM.
February 20
- Parent Council Meeting at 9:00 AM in the Tohickon Library
February 25
- Tohickon String Social beginning at 5:00 PM.
February 28
- District Attorney, Tom Gannon, to speak with 9th Grade Students on Drug Awareness
SIXTH GRADE ORIENTATION ON FEBRUARY 18
All five CBSD middle schools will be hosting Sixth Grade Orientation on Tuesday, February 18. This event is for all parents of current sixth grade students. The presentation will begin at 7:00 PM in the Tohickon Auditorium. However, our subject area coordinators will be on hand beginning at 6:30 PM to answer any subject related questions that parents may have. If you have any specific questions about the event, please contact the Tohickon Guidance Office at (267)893-3310.
TEAM HAPPENINGS!!!
TEAM SUMMIT
Team Summit has been busy since our holiday break. In ELA classes, students have been writing essays and analyzing classic literature. We have also been using a program called Flip Grid. Students record a video to talk about a book they are currently reading. They post the video in the class Flip Grid and the students can view all the videos from that class. In science students are completing labs about density and doing several hands-on activities. In social studies, student just completed a core assessment called the DBQ. Math classes are crunching numbers! Keep on the look out for some team activities in the next few months. We are planning a Team Summit Bingo for March, a Hope Lodge collection, and a field trip to the Philadelphia Zoo for the spring. As we are at that mid-year point, please make sure students have all the supplies they need to be successful. Please restock on pencils, paper, tissues and earbuds.
TEAM INFINITY
November, December, and January were very busy months for Team Infinity, both in and out of the classroom! In November, we hosted our 16th Annual Pedals for Progress Bike Drive and it was a huge success! In all, we collected 80 bikes, 3 sewing machines, and $1,035! The items are currently on their way to Tanzania and Albania. Thanks to everyone who supported this drive with your time, donations, and effort!
In December, the entire 7th grade traveled to the McCarter Theater in Princeton, NJ to see a fabulous production of the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol. The viewing of this dramatic version of the original novel helped bring this memorable tale to life for the students, who seemed to really enjoy the day and production! The students were all very well behaved, particularly at the restaurants we stopped at for breakfast, where they used their manners with restaurant staff, were cordial to other dining guests, and cleaned up after themselves!
January has been a very focused month academically, with students wrapping up units and assignments in all of their subjects before the end of the marking period. Students have spent the marking period learning about Ancient Greece and Rome in Social Studies, and most students are knee-deep in Greek Mythology in ELA B classes. Science classes have been focused on Energy and Matter units.
The rigorous academic focus will continue into marking period 3, as we continue to prepare the students for 8th grade. We encourage you to encourage your child to practice self-advocacy this marking period so that they may become more independently responsible for themselves as a student, all the while keeping close tabs on their grades and Canvas for upcoming assignments and assessments.
With the year halfway behind us, many students are in need of replenished school supplies! Please restock your child with pencils, index cards, paper, and whatever other supplies they have run out of!
Some upcoming happenings to be aware of include our mid-year team awards ceremony, our February “Pay it Forward” community service effort-a collection of goods for the Astra-Zeneca Hope Lodge (more details will be sent out via email later this month), and registration for our spring field trip to the Philadelphia Zoo, which will open in 4-6 weeks.
TEAM ODYSSEY
And just like that, the first semester is over for the 2019-2020 school year! We had a great second marking period on Team Odyssey. Our students have been reading various dramas in ELA with Ms. Levesque and Ms. Sufrin and will soon be writing their core assessment.
In social studies class with Mr. Neely, the students have been studying the Constitution and will be working on their core assessment in the upcoming marking period. Students in Mrs. Donohoe and Ms. Frasca’s Spanish classes did a WeVideo project on the Spanish words for doing various household chores.
In science with Mr. Hall, Ms. Showaker and Mr. Weir, the students have been studying chemistry and will soon start a unit on astronomy. Mr. Bartosiewicz and Mrs. Bellavance have been working on graphing lines, writing equations of lines, and solving systems of equations and inequalities in their Algebra and Pre-Algebra classes. We also have been preparing for our Math Midterm Exam taking place on Friday, February 7th in all math classes.
In December, the 8th grade students got together in the auditorium for two academic competitions. The first competition was the Periodic Table Element Challenge. Students competed in their science classes to name elements on the Periodic Table given their symbol or name the symbol for the element. The winners from each science class faced off against the teachers to see who knew the most about the Periodic Table. The students got the best of the teachers this year! Our second competition was the annual 8th grade Quiz Bowl. Students from Team Odyssey and Team Expedition competed head to head in a test of knowledge from all core subject areas. Team Odyssey emerged victorious!
Just a reminder to parents to check in with their child to see if they are running low on school supplies, such as pencils, paper, notecards, etc., or if they need a new pen or pen tip for their laptop. Team Odyssey teachers are looking forward to a promising second semester with their students!
TEAM EXPEDITION
Our team is wrapping up the second marking period!
In English, students have been working with a variety of texts. The novel Chains was a new novel taught this year that allows for some cross curricular work. Students used their knowledge from Mr. Trimburs class in regards to the Revolutionary War to make text to world connection. This piece of historical fiction allowed students to see the war from a different point of view.
Students in social studies wrapped up their National History Day projects. Topics ranged from the Black plague to that of Jackie Robinson. Students researched their topics vigorously and presented them in various ways. Some chose a presentation while others made multimedia products.
Students in science class finished up with their chemistry unit and are looking forward to a strong second semester. Many students participated in the elements challenge, testing how many of the elements they could name with the correct symbol. Their knowledge was nothing short of impressive.
Coming soon:
Students of Team Expedition are currently planning a indoor floor-hockey tournament to raise money for Autism Connections. Students will get experience in planning, coordinating, and orchestrating a large-scale event. These students practice community outreach by working with local businesses, and peers to facilitate this event. A date and more details are to come!
Relay for life Kick-off will be happening THIS MONTH!
Request entries for song of the day to Mr. Trimbur
A farewell to Ms. Vollrath and Ms. Frasca. Team expedition will be saying goodbye to two awesome teachers, as they move on to a second semester at CB South. The Team will welcome back veteran teachers Mrs. Rissing and Mrs. Levenson.
FRESHMAN TEAM
It’s hard to believe that we have already finished two marking periods and are heading into the second half of the school year. Here is a quick recap of some of things going on in ninth grade.
9th Grade Science – Students in 9th grade have been studying natural selection and the evidence for evolution. Students documented evolution through their studies of Darwin and the Galapagos Islands.
In social studies, we are studying the Roaring 20s and the Great Depression. These units include a strong dose of politics, economics and culture. The stock market, banks, music and speakeasies all come into play. Coming soon to a “theater” near you – WWII.
In English, our students are tying in their social studies units to To Kill a Mockingbird, Night, or The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. This is an excellent time to begin our studies as we prepare for annual visit from Holocaust survivor, Danny Goldsmith.
Moving into the second semester of foreign language, students are reinforcing vocabulary skills through various activities including a Spanish fashion show—Muestra de Moda. Students modeled clothing while others provided descriptions of their fashion choices as the models strutted down the alfombra roja!
IMPORTANT SOCIAL MEDIA MESSAGE FOR PARENTS
The frequency of disturbing social media activity has been increasing across our schools and unfortunately, is impacting the school environment more and more.
The new challenge we are facing involves anonymous apps such as “Sendit,” “Yolo,” etc. (Please see below for a full list). These apps have been used in some cases to harass, intimidate and even threaten individual students. The anonymity of the apps prevents the receiver from being able to identify the sender, which makes it very difficult for the authorities (police, school) to identify the offender. In most cases, these apps are used outside of school however, they often end up having an impact on the school environment.
It is imperative for the school and families to work together to protect our students. The safety of our students is always our number one priority. Therefore, we are asking for your help in closely monitoring your son's and/or daughter’s electronic devices, specifically for the inappropriate use of these anonymous apps.
JANUARY PICTURES
PARENT COUNCIL MEETING
The next Tohickon Parent Council Meeting will be held on Thursday, February 20 at 9:00 AM in the Tohickon Library. The main topic for the month of February will be our partnership with Penn Engineering. Mr. Good will be present to discuss efforts we have made to end. We hope to see you there!
AFTER SCHOOL CLUB OFFERINGS AT TOHICKON
In order for clubs to run, a teacher must be willing to sponsor the club after school and there must be a reasonable level of student interest. For these reasons, Tohickon clubs may be different from year to year. Throughout the year, Tohickon expects to be running the following clubs:
- Art Club - Sponsored by Mrs. Thompson (athompson@cbsd.org)
- Dance Club - Sponsored by Mrs. Heath (sheath@cbsd.org)
- Debate Club - Sponsored by Mrs. Showaker (nshowaker@cbsd.org)
- Diversity Club - Sponsored by Mrs. Fox (brifox@cbsd.org)
- Environmental Club - Sponsored by Mrs. Showaker (nshowaker@cbsd.org)
- Fitness Club - Sponsored by Ms. Dobrowolski (ndobrowolski@cbsd.org)
- Garden Club - Sponsored by Mr. Neely (jneely@cbsd.org)
- Magic: The Gathering Club - Sponsored by Mr. Geller (zgeller@cbsd.org)
- Math Club and Math Counts Team - Sponsored by Mrs. Bellavance and Mrs. Rissing (abellavance@cbsd.org)
- Morning Math Help Club - Sponsored by Mrs. Bellavance (abellavance@cbsd.org)
- Music Enrichment for Strings (MES) - Sponsored by Mrs. Pak (hpak@cbsd.org)
- NOVA - Community Service Club - Sponsored by Mrs. Furfari (sfurfari@cbsd.org)
- Running Club - Sponsored by Ms. Meadows (dmeadows@cbsd.org)
- Sewing Club - Sponsored by Mrs. Furfari (sfurfari@cbsd.org)
If you are interested in joining one of the clubs at Tohickon or have any questions, please see the club's sponsor in order to sign up.
MESSAGE FROM THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT
Welcome to Tohickon Athletics! Students that are interested in participating in sports must visit the Tohickon Athletics Webpage to find directions on how to register. Spring sports registration is now open! Students cannot participate until the physical is complete and uploaded to FamilyID.
All 9th grade sports will be held at the high schools. Students can register for 9th grade sports by visiting the athletics website of the high school they will be attending:
Any questions about 7th or 8th grade sports can be directed to the Tohickon Athletic Director, Ken Hall. khall@cbsd.org Questions about 9th grade sports can be directed to the high school Athletic Directors.
MIDDLE SCHOOL ICE HOCKEY
Did you know that there is a Middle School Ice Hockey team with several Tohickon and Lenape students? Any student from grades 5 through 8 can try out for middle school ice hockey.
Our team consists of students residing within the Central Bucks West school district, including players from Lenape and Tohickon Middle Schools and any Elementary School, such as Groveland or Pine Run, that feeds into CB West. We play against other Middle School Teams in the area from Plymouth Whitemarsh to Pennsbury. These teams belong to the SHSHL-Suburban High School Hockey League (SHSHL.org) and play at levels from B all the way up to AAA. The past two years, the Lenape-Tohickon team made it to the championship game. This year we are playing at the AAA level and have faced some tough competition. We have a talented group of kids that work very hard to play a fast-paced game while learning sportsmanship and many life lessons.
The students from Tohickon that play on this team include: Nick Bruno, Aiden DeHaven, Liam Rogers, Zane Sanders, and Tyler Stevens. These boys take great pride in representing their school. Many of the team members also play on club teams throughout the area. We practice and play most of our games at Hatfield Ice Arena in Colmar PA.
If you are interested in learning more about the Middle School Ice Hockey program feel free to contact Lenape-Tohickon's coach, Mike Wheatley at mailto:mwheatley21@verizon.net.
TOHICKON ONLINE STORE
If you're interested in ordering official Tohickon MS gear, there is an online store for the 2019-2020 school year! The apparel isn't just for athletics - anyone can order Tohickon gear from this site! To shop, click here!
2019-2020 LEADERS OF TOHICKON MIDDLE SCHOOL
Throughout the year, feel free to contact these team members, should you have any questions that pertain to their area of specialization. The team, subject area and specialized leaders are as follows:
2019-2020 Teams and Team Leaders
- Team Infinity 7A (Grade 7) - Mrs. Kelli McMahon (kmcmahon@cbsd.org)
- Team Summit 7B (Grade 7) - Mrs. Jennifer Reese (jereese@cbsd.org)
- Team Odyssey 8A (Grade 8) - Mrs. Andrea Bellavance (abellavance@cbsd.org)
- Team Expedition 8B (Grade 8) - Mr. Zachary Sibel (zsibel@cbsd.org)
- Freshman Team - Mr. Michael Weir (mweir@cbsd.org) & Ms. Alison Lewis (alewis@cbsd.org)
2019-2020 Subject Area Coordinators
- English - Mrs. Amy Fry-Daly (afry@cbsd.org)
- Math - Mrs. Andrea Bellavance (abellavance@cbsd.org)
- Science - Mr. Jarred Levenson (jlevenson@cbsd.org)
- Social Studies - Mrs. Taylor Girardi (agirardi@cbsd.org)
- Special Education Facilitator - Mrs. Kelly Zagwoski (kzagwoski@cbsd.org)
2019-2020 Specialized Area Leaders
- Director of Athletics – Mr. Ken Hall (khall@cbsd.org)
- Building Technology Coordinator - Mrs. Bridget Fox (brifox@cbsd.org)
- Building Technology Coach - Mr. Matthew Powell (mpowell@cbsd.org)
- Head School Nurse - Mrs. Sheila Kelly (shkelly@cbsd.org)
IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM THE HEALTH OFFICE
Cold and Flu season has officially kicked into high gear! Remember to wash hands frequently and cough into your arm to prevent the spread of germs. Children should be fever free for 24 hours to be in school. The health office does not have cold medication at school so these should be given at home. Your child may carry a personal supply of cough drops but no other medication may be administered without a physician order. Please advise the nurse’s office with any new medical condition your child develops in order to keep health records up to date.
We wish you and your family a Happy and Healthy New Year!
HOW TO GET INFORMATION AT TOHICKON MIDDLE SCHOOL
Communication
We pride ourselves on communication at Tohickon! There are a number of ways we communicate with our parents. They are as follows:
Monthly Newsletter - The newsletter typically comes out via email on the first of each month, running from August through June. The newsletter is designed to be informational and substantive. There is always a chronology of upcoming events listed. All present and past Tohickon newsletters can be found on the Tohickon website.
School Website - The Tohickon website is a great place to find important information. The most recent newsletter and daily announcement links are always located on the front page. All information pertinent to parents and students can be found in the "Parent/Student" section of the website.
E-Mail Blasts - Email blasts at Tohickon are used when an important message needs to be sent to parents quickly. PLEASE do not delete these messages, as they are most likely very important.
Twitter - Messages and pictures are sent to the community frequently to highlight unique events happening in school. Follow us on Twitter @CBTohickonMS
Parent Council Meetings - These are great opportunities to hear what is going on and to provide feedback to Mr. Marton and Mr. Murtha. The Tohickon Administration values your opinion and wants to hear your thoughts on given topics. Parent Council Meetings are held on the 3rd Thursday of each month, and meeting dates are as follows: September 19th, October 17th, November 21st, January 16th, February 20th, March 19th, April 16th, May (Teacher Appreciation Activities). All meetings are held in the Tohickon Library. The meetings begin promptly at 9:00 AM and usually conclude between 10:00 and 10:30 AM. There is no meeting in December or June and the May meeting is traditionally reserved for the Teacher Appreciation Luncheon.
Teacher Websites/Canvas - All teachers are expected to maintain an updated school website/ Canvas homepage. These sites are useful for finding out what is going on in class, tracking assignments, etc.
Parent Portal - All grading and assignment information can be accessed using the Parent Portal. If you are having any trouble accessing your child's information, please contact the guidance department at 267-893-3310.
ATTENDANCE
Students are expected to be in school daily, unless they have an excused absence (i.e. illness). If your child will not be able to attend school, parents need to email tohickonattendance@cbsd.org. Email is strongly preferred but if you are unable to email the school, please call the school attendance line at 267-893-3305. PLEASE DO NOT SEND WRITTEN NOTES UNLESS IT IS FROM A PHYSICIAN. Students must be in school before 10:30 AM in order to get credit for the day.
Students will not be allowed to participate in any after-school activities if they are not here before 10:30 AM and/or they do not complete a half a day of school. If a student needs to leave before 2:30 PM, they should bring a note to the front office in the morning. Once a note is provided, they will be given a yellow pass, which allows them to leave their class at the designated time.
HOW CAN I REACH MY CHILD DURING THE SCHOOL DAY?
GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT
PROGRAM PLANNING INFORMATON
PROGRAM PLANNING INFORMATION - For more information go to the Tohickon guidance website https://www.cbsd.org/Page/848
9th Grade
Students enter their course requests via the Student Portal by Sunday evening, February 9.
Counselors will meet individually with all 9th grade students during Science classes to review their course requests. All students will meet with a counselor before the end of February.
Course Verifications will be sent home on March 19
Signed verifications are due by March 26.
No changes to course requests will be accepted after March 26.
8th Grade
Students will select their electives for 9th grade on February 4 and 5.
Teachers review Honors vs Academic criteria in class.
Course Verifications will be sent home on February 25.
Signed verifications are due by March 3.
7th Grade
Teachers review Honors/Academic and Reading/World Language recommendations in class.
If your child would like to Add or Drop Chorus, Band or Orchestra for 8th grade, please note the change on the verification sheet.
Course Verifications will be sent home on February 7.
Signed verifications are due by February 13.
*IMPORTANT NOTE – ALL GRADES: These course selections will determine course offerings and staffing for next year and, therefore, will be considered FINAL. Changes will be made only due to failure of courses or failure to meet prerequisites.
Guidance Office: 267-893-3310
- Mrs. Diane Schute (dschute@cbsd.org) will be working with those students with last names from A-Le.
- Mr. Joseph Stryker (jstryker@cbsd.org) will be working with those students with last names from Lf-Z.
HOW TO MAKE CHANGES TO STUDENT INFORMATION
Please note the following procedures for submitting address changes and/or changes to mailing addresses, guardian(s) or other household information. This information is also available on the Central Bucks School District Website - www.cbsd.org.
All student address changes within Central Bucks must be validated at the Central Registration office by appointment only. We cannot make changes at the middle school.
Any changes to the current information we have on file can be changed through the Parent Portal.
Student Change of Address Procedures:
- Download the Change of Student Address Within Central Bucks form or obtain the form from the school your student currently attends.
- Call (267-893-2111) or email (CentralRegistration@cbsd.org) Central Registration for an appointment.
- Complete the form and bring it to your scheduled appointment along with the following REQUIRED documentation:
- Property Deed/Agreement of Sale (follow up with deed) OR Current Lease Agreement
AND one of the following:
- current utility bill
- current tax bill/receipt
- current bank statement.
Change in Household Membership:
All student household membership additions, deletions or changes must be documented on the Household Membership Change form. This would include the following:
- Parent/Guardian changes
- Sibling changes
- Mailing changes.
Student Household Membership Change Procedures
Download the Household Membership Change form or obtain the form from the school your student currently attends. Complete the form and return to your student’s school or mail it to the address below:
Central Bucks School District
Educational Services Center
Central Registration
16 Welden Drive
Doylestown, PA 18901
If you have any questions, please call Central Registration (267-893-2111) or email your questions to CentralRegistration@cbsd.org
CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program)
CHIP is short for the Children's Health Insurance Program, Pennsylvania's program to provide health insurance to uninsured children and teens who are not eligible for or enrolled in Medical Assistance.
CHIP is brought to you by leading health insurance companies. You'll have a choice of major insurance companies with networks of physicians, specialists, and care facilities near you. Your kids may even be able to keep visiting the same doctors they see today.
Click here to find out more information & to apply!
HOW TO SUPPORT TOHICKON
Just by doing your routine shopping, you can help Tohickon in our efforts to raise money for special programs and various items to support our school and students. Tohickon has registered in fundraising programs sponsored by Giant Market, eScrip.com, and Amazon.com. We also collect Boxtops for Education, and recycle paper and clothing. Check out the details below. It is easy to do and a wonderful way to support our school! Thank you, in advance, for your participation in these programs!
GIANT A+ School Rewards Program (Began on September 6th, 2019)
Tohickon Middle School has the opportunity to earn cash through Giant A+ School Rewards Program. All you have to do is: Log on to giantfoodstores.com/aplus to register online OR dial 1-888-448-4642 to register your card over the phone. After you register your card, each shopping trip at Giant using your BONUSCARD earns CASH for our school! Each month, the amount of CASH awarded will be updated on the Giant website. Attending to this simple process makes a HUGE difference to our school. We need your support. Please be sure to register your card to benefit Tohickon Middle School using ID #05868. Thanks to our Tohickon families, we raised $6,000 from this school rewards program last year.
eScrip.com
Just register online at www.escrip.com. Tohickon’s Group ID # is 150239570. You can split your donation among several different schools or organizations, so if you’re already registered with another group, consider adding Tohickon! While you’re logged onto the www.escrip.com site, you may want to consider registering your debit and/or credit card so that Tohickon will benefit from purchases made with those cards at retailers like Office Max, Eddie Bauer, Barnes and Noble, and Payless Shoes. Choose “my escript” from the menu at the top of the screen, log in with your password, go to “Account Administration,” and select “Credit and Debit Cards.” Be sure to check out the complete list of participating merchants and contribution rates.
Amazon.com
Tohickon Middle School
Email: kmarton@cbsd.org
Website: cbsd.org/tohickon
Location: 5051 Old Easton Road, Doylestown, PA, USA
Phone: 267-893-3300
Twitter: @CBTohickonMS