The Tohickon Golden Eagle
May 2018
The Fastest Month of the Year
Dear Tohickon Families,
The month of May is typically the busiest and fastest of the year. Due to the number of events, the month passes by in a blink of an eye. May events include the field trips, spring concerts, International Food Day, the Dorney Park Trip, Relay for Life, the Keystone Exams, Sixth Grade Student Orientation, the Principal's Awards and the Memorial Day Parade. In the midst of all of these events, teachers are tasked with making sure they are on track to complete all of the curricular requirements over the next six to seven weeks. All of these activities make this a very hectic time of year.
Relay for Life will take place on Saturday, May 19th. This is a huge event involving all five Central Bucks Middle Schools, with roughly 5000 participants. The planning and preparation necessary to organize this event is monumental. This is a very special event as survivors, students and community members come together in an effort to raise funds for cancer research. The event is open to all eighth and ninth grade students. It is an incredibly special day and I encourage you to attend if you have the opportunity.
Keystone Exams are set to take place on May 21st and 22nd. These exams are given to those students that have completed their Algebra course requirements and are necessary to show that proficiency in this area has been met. Students need to make sure they are well rested and prepared when the testing days arrive. Similar to the PSSA, students are not permitted to have any electronic devices in their possession.
All current sixth grade students will visit Tohickon on Wednesday, May 23rd. This is a very important day, as it our opportunity to make a great impression on our new students. Mr. Dudley and I do everything we can to help students get comfortable and excited about joining us in September. The day includes tours of the building, practice with opening lockers, a performance by our Jazz Band and a finale where Tohickon gifts are given away. This is always a fun morning for students and staff!
Due to the quick pace of the month, we ask that keep an eye out for announcements pertaining to the many events that take place. If you have any questions about these events or any listed below, please contact the main office at 267-893-3300. I hope you have a great month!
Sincerely,
Kevin Marton, Principal
MAY EVENTS
There are several upcoming events that students and parents should be aware of. The events for the month of May are as follows:
May 1st
- Choral Concert at 7:00 PM in the Tohickon Auditorium
May 2nd
- 8th Grade Trip to Iron Pigs Game
May 11th
- International Food Day
May 14th
- Instrumental Concert at 7:00 PM in the Tohickon Auditorium
May 18th
- Dorney Park Trip
May 19th
- Relay for Life
May 21st, 22nd
- Keystone Exams
May 23rd
- 6th Grade Orientation for Students
May 24th
- Girls STEM to DelVal University
- Principal's Awards at 7:00 PM in Tohickon Auditorium
May 28th
- No School - Memorial Day
- Tohickon Students perform in the Memorial Day Parade
May 30th
- 8th Grade Students to Philadelphia
May 31st
- Team Infinity to the Philadelphia Zoo
Tohickon Inducts 130 Students into the National Junior Honor Society
The National Junior Honor Society Induction took place on Wednesday, April 4th in the Tohickon Auditorium. This year, 130 eighth and ninth grade students were inducted into the prestigious organization. State Representative Marguerite Quinn was the keynote speaker for the evening. Following the ceremony, parents proceeded into the cafeteria for refreshments and time with friends. We are very thankful to Mrs. Kelli McMahon and Mr. Daniel Saska for their work in putting this program together and arranging rehearsals with the students. We congratulate all 130 students for this fantastic achievement!
TOHICKON'S ANNUAL IRON CHEF PROGRAM COMES TO A CLOSE
Tohickon wrapped up its Iron Chef Program at the beginning of April. We are very thankful to Mrs. Furfari for designing and running such a unique and creative program. The program has run for several years and has always been popular with teachers and students.
Ninth Grade Students Visit Our Nation's Capital
The ninth grade team went on their annual trip to Washington, DC, on April 12th. After a string of very cold days, the weather cooperated, providing a balmy day that made the trip very enjoyable. The ninth grade teachers worked diligently to organize and implement the plan for this trip. The entire day went off without any problems, as students, parents and staff had a fantastic time!
Tohickon holds its Annual Dodgeball Tournament
Tohickon's Annual Dodgeball Tournament was held on April 19th. Students had a great experience, as they all gathered in the gymnasium from 6 to 9 PM to compete. The tournament was well organized, inclusive of an official bracket, scoreboard and announcer. The courts were official size with referees to manage each game. Special thanks goes out to Mrs. Welch for organizing all of this for our students!
CENTRAL BUCKS FAMILY YMCA HONORS TOHICKON STUDENT
ELECTRONIC DEVICES NOT PERMITTED DURING KEYSTONE TESTING
The KEYSTONE Testing Guidelines explicitly state that students are not permitted, under any circumstances, to be in possession of an electronic device during testing. This includes any and all electronic devices (i.e. cell phones, smart watches; etc.). The state can impose significant consequences if a student is found to be in possession of one of these devices during testing. Prior to the start of the test, students will be asked to turn in any electronic devices to their teacher. Those devices will be kept on the teacher's desk until testing concludes. Please review these expectations with your son and/or daughter prior to the testing period.
COMMUNICATION FOR SPORTS, CLUBS AND AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
We are always looking for ways to improve communication at Tohickon. Recently, we changed the way we communicate information to students as follows:
- Grade 9 - Announcements will be reviewed by the classroom teacher during period 5.
- Grades 7 and 8 - Announcements will be reviewed by the classroom teacher during period 6.
The announcements will be read at some point during the period listed above. The announcements will only take a few moments, but will be given in a face to face manner where clarification questions can be asked.
Lastly, all announcements shared during these time periods will be posted on the Tohickon website, under "Daily Announcements" by noon each day. We are hopeful that this will be an improvement to how we currently communicate.
Tohickon Club Information
We, at Tohickon, have always expressed to parents and students the importance of getting involved in school activities, clubs, events, etc. Club offerings have greatly expanded during this school year. At this point, I am proud to announce the following club offerings for Tohickon:
Afternoon Math Club – Sponsored by Andrea Bellavance and Kim Rissing (abellavance@cbsd.org)
Art Club – Sponsored by Alison Bongiorno and Samantha Schollenberger (abongiorno@cbsd.org)
Band Enrichment Club – Sponsored by Sarah McGahey (smcgahey@cbsd.org)
Chess Club – Sponsored by Alison Lewis (alewis@cbsd.org)
- Dance Club - Sponsored by Melinda Fuller and Natalie Dobrowolski (mefuller@cbsd.org)
Diversity Club – Sponsored by Bridget Fox (brifox@cbsd.org)
Garden Club – Sponsored by Jim Neely (jneely@cbsd.org)
Morning Math Help Club – Sponsored by Andrea Bellavance (abellavance@cbsd.org)
Iron Chef Club – Sponsored by Susan Furfari (sfurfari@cbsd.org)
Orchestra Enrichment Club – Sponsored by Jennifer Repper (jrepper@cbsd.org)
Reading Olympics Club – Sponsored by Bridget Fox, Jennifer Reese and Alison Lewis (brifox@cbsd.org)
Running Club – Sponsored by Alison Lewis and Angela Parisi (alewis@cbsd.org)
Science Olympiad Club – Sponsored by Joshua Collins and Michael Weir (jucollins@cbsd.org)
Sewing Club – Sponsored by Susan Furfari (sfurfari@cbsd.org)
Student/Parent Book Club – Sponsored by Zach Sibel (zsibel@cbsd.org)
Technology Club - Sponsored by Matthew Powell (mpowell@cbsd.org)
If you would like to sign your child up for one of these clubs or have any questions about time, place, etc., please use the email listed next to each club. We are thrilled with the expansion of these clubs and are hopeful that we will have many students interested in participating. As the school year marches on, more clubs may be added, so keep a close eye on the monthly newsletter for updates.
Teacher Appreciation Week
The final Parent Council Meeting of the year was held on April 19th. In lieu of the Parent Council Meeting in May, our parents organize teacher and staff appreciation activities during the week of May 7th. Specifically, our parents have planned a breakfast on May 8th, a snack soiree on May 9th and a luncheon on May 10th. We are extremely thankful to our parents and are greatly looking forward to this week!
FROM THE NURSE'S OFFICE
Message from the School Nurse
We would like to welcome the incoming 7th grade students and families to Tohickon! If you have any medical concerns please do not hesitate to contact the health office. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you prepare for the new school year. Your child will need to have a Tdap and meningitis vaccination prior to the start of the 2018-2019 school year. Also, all 7th grade students need to have a dental exam prior to October 2018 and we can accept any date after September 1, 2017.
As you spend time outside enjoying this Spring remember to apply sunscreen. With allergy season upon us please keep in mind allergy medication needs to be given at home as we do not have allergy medicine to administer in school. We look forward to a happy and healthy end of the school year!
Tohickon Middle School
Email: kmarton@cbsd.org
Website: cbsd.org
Location: 5051 Old Easton Road, Doylestown, PA
Phone: 267-893-3300