The Tohickon Golden Eagle
September 2020
Greetings from Mr. Marton, Tohickon Principal
Dear Tohickon Families,
I hope you are well!!! This has been a summer like no other, as all of us have adjusted to the COVID-19 restrictions that have been put in place. The inability to determine when this situation will dissipate and/or end has made school planning extremely difficult, as things can change very quickly. However, we have been working diligently throughout the summer to plan for the upcoming school year. These plans have included items such as specialized scheduling, detailed building preparations, extensive training on virtual technologies, extreme safety planning and general planning for various possibilities.
I can assure you that we greatly miss our students at Tohickon and are anxious for the day when things return to normal. In the meantime, we remain committed to doing everything we can to provide the best education possible to our students through the virtual options that are available to us. In preparation for the start of the school year, there are three key dates that our students and families need to be aware of. They are as follows:
- Week of August 31 - Students in grades 7 and 10 will pick up their devices at the ESC Services Building located 16 Welden Drive in Doylestown. You must register for a time here: CB Grade 7 & Grade 10 Laptop Deployment.
- Wednesday, September 2 - Student schedules will "go live" on the Parent Portal.
- Wednesday, September 2 at 7PM - Tohickon Middle School will be holding a virtual event for our students and families. This event will provide students and parents with important information for the start of the school year. We will be sending out details on how to access the presentation via email prior to the event.
It is our hope that we will return to normal sooner rather than later. Regardless, we remain committed to doing everything possible to provide your children with the best education possible under the circumstances. The majority of our teachers will be teaching from their classrooms at Tohickon and we will be following a defined, consistent instructional schedule each day. The virtual instructional schedule for the start of the year is included below. I will spend some time discussing this more extensively during the evening of September 2.
All of us at Tohickon greatly appreciate the support and understanding that you continue to express to us! Please know that we are working around the clock to provide your children with the best educational experience possible as we prepare for the start of the 2020-2021 School Year. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our main office at (267)893-3300 or the guidance office at (267)893-3310. We are all available to help you in any way we can!
Sincerely,
Kevin Marton, Principal
IMPORTANT CALENDAR DATES
- Week of 8/31 - 7th Grade Laptop distribution at 16 Welden Drive
- 9/2 - Schedules "Go Live" on Parent Portal
- 9/2 - Tohickon Virtual Evening Presentation at 7:00 PM (Details forthcoming)
- 9/7 - Labor Day - No School
- 9/8 - First Day of School for ALL Students
- Week of 9/14 - Students/families will pick up content area materials (Details forthcoming)
- 9/17 - Tohickon Virtual Back-to-School Night for all grades 7:00 PM
- 9/17 - Parent Council Meeting (Library) at 9:00 AM (Virtual)
New Assistant Principal
Dear Tohickon Families,
I hope this letter finds you well and enjoying the summer. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and let you know what a privilege it is to serve as the new Assistant Principal of Tohickon Middle School. I look forward to helping your children be the best version of themselves while achieving their life goals. Tohickon has established a tradition of excellence and I am fortunate to be joining a school community dedicated to the success of our students.
Central Bucks is a very special place to my family as both my wife, and I are graduates and I owe a tremendous debt to the district. Many of my life’s accomplishments are due to the wonderful people who worked here and shaped me as a person.
I have been a part of the Central Bucks School District family as a social studies teacher and now administrator for the past eleven years. I have taught at both the middle school and high school levels and, prior to my new assignment at Tohickon Middle School, I was the House Principal for the Class of 2020 at Central Bucks High School East.
I look forward to creating new partnerships with you. I am a firm believer that collaboration, teamwork, and open communication between home and school are keys to building a strong foundation for a successful year.
I look forward to meeting and working with you.
Dr. Matthew K. Fash
Assistant Principal
Tohickon Middle School
267-893-3300
Tohickon Welcomes New Staff Members
We're thrilled to welcome the following new Tohickon Staff Members:
- Matt Fash - Assistant Principal
- Anthony Arno - Tech Ed./ Integrated Tech.
- Deneen Dry - Nurse
- Yvonne Flath - FCS
- Mary Jean Bartchak - FCS
- Ashley Gresko - Science
- Danielle Hallman - DiCicco - Art
- Molly Hartley - Spanish
- Marlee Ludovici - Special Education
- Carol Mears - French
- Joey Nalty - Spanish Sub
- Patrick Nugent - Orchestra
- Edward Young - Tech Ed.
School Material Pick Up - Week of September 14
2020-2021 Leaders of Tohickon Middle School
Once the new year begins, please feel free to contact these team members, should you have any questions that pertains to their area of specialization. The team, subject area and specialized leaders are as follows:
2020-2021 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)
**Please keep in mind that math and world language will continue to be cross-teamed in eighth grade.
2020-2021 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)
2020-2021 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)
- Guidance Coordinator - Mrs. Diane Schute (dschute@cbsd.org)
All Seventh Grade Students to Receive Laptop Computers!
All incoming 7th grade students will receive a Yoga 11e Notebook 5th Gen laptop with a digital pen and bag. CBSD's current plan is to distribute these devices the week of August 31st. Students from grades 8 & 9 will continue to use their current 1:1 Device for the '20-'21 school year.
For all students:
As part of the district 1:1 initiative, there is a usage fee per student. This usage fee needs to be paid prior to or at the start of each year (regardless of grade level) and covers accidental damage and repairs to the laptop. Incidents of intentional abuse or intentional damage are not covered by the usage fee and may result in the full repair cost being billed to the Student and Parent/Guardian. Lost accessories such as power adapters and pens are not covered. As of Monday, August 5th, MyPaymentsPlus was open for payment. This payment needs to be made before 7th grade students can take their laptop home and for our current 8th graders to begin virtual learning on September 8th. Please click here to make the payment for your 7th or 8th grade student. Our 9th Grade students need to do nothing at this time. If you have a financial hardship or question about My Payments Plus, please reach out to Ms. Meadows at dmeadows@cbsd.org.
7th Grade --> $75
New Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 11e and Bag
8th Grade --> $25
Currently Have a Device
9th Grade --> $0
Currently Have a Device
Students will be able to purchase extra accessories. Families who quality for free/reduced lunch will have a $0 fee. If you have an economic hardship, please contact your building principal to discuss payment options.
Our current district FAQ can be found here. We will continue to update this throughout the summer. If there is a question that you do not see, please email us at techsupport@cbsd.org. This account is monitored weekly.
Tohickon 2020 Virtual Back-to-School Night
The 2020 Tohickon Virtual Back-to-School Night will take place on September 17 at 7:00 PM. Teachers will be live streaming from their classrooms at Tohickon Middle School. Further instructions on how to access the presentations will be forthcoming over the next few weeks.
2020-2021 Athletics Info at Tohickon Middle School
Important Information from the Athletic Department
Welcome to Tohickon Athletics!
My name is Ken Hall and I am the Athletic Director at Tohickon. The following sports will be offered this fall to 7th and 8th graders at Tohickon Middle School: Football, Cheerleading, Boys Soccer, Girls Tennis, Boys Tennis and Field Hockey. Registration for fall sports is open. Parents can register their child at our webpage: tohickonathletics.com/. Please follow the directions carefully and complete the necessary steps for registration. Students cannot participate until all PIAA paperwork is completed 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:
CB East Athletics
CB West Athletics
All 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.
Tohickon Online Store
If you're interested in ordering official Tohickon MS gear, there is an online store for the 2020-2021 school year! The apparel isn't just for athletics - anyone can order Tohickon gear from this site! To shop, click here!
IMPORTANT TIPS FOR NEW SEVENTH GRADE STUDENTS AND PARENTS
We are committed to making sure that students feel safe and comfortable at Tohickon. We are always available to help our students, especially our new seventh graders. There are a few areas below that provide some details of what a new student and/or parent can expect while attending Tohickon.
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 Dr. Fash. 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 17th, October 15th, November 19th, January 21st, February 18th, March 18th, April 15th, May (Teacher Appreciation Activities). Meetings are typically held in the Tohickon Library, but will likely be virtual during the Covid-19 situation. 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 logged on virtually daily, unless they have an excused absence (i.e. illness). It is important to understand that attendance is mandatory for all students per the compulsory attendance laws of Pennsylvania. Attendance will be taken for each class period. Students that are not logged on at the start of class will be marked absent or tardy if they arrive late to their virtual class.
If your child will not be able to attend school virtually, 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 or logged on 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 accounted for before 10:30 AM and/or they do not complete a half a day of school. If a student needs to leave classes before 2:00 PM, they should email the attendance office @ tohickonattendance@cbsd.org.
Guidance Department
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
Student Emergency & Information Form
Each year, the Central Bucks School District asks our families to fill out a Student Emergency & Information Form. The online form will ask you to confirm and/or update the following:
- Demographic Information
- Emergency Contacts
- Health Information, including permission for emergency care and analgesic administration
- Media Release Preferences
Click here to be directed to your Parent Portal account to complete the form. Thank you for taking the time to update this important information.
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.
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 eScrip.com and Amazon.com. We also collect Boxtops for Education 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!
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
An easy way to support Tohickon’s programs is just a few clicks away! If you purchase anything through Amazon.com, our school can earn up to 15%! To ensure Tohickon receives credit for purchases, you will have to access the link on the Tohickon website under "School Links" then click “Support Tohickon.” Once you’ve done that, shop as you normally would. It’s that easy!
Box Tops for Education
Tohickon collects Box Tops electronically! Box Tops for Education will still be worth 10 cents per clipping, but will no longer be printed on products anymore. Instead, please use the following easy steps to submit your Box-Tops!
1. Go grocery shopping & keep your grocery store receipt.
2. Download the "Box Tops for Education" app in the Apple App store or Google Play store
3. Scan your grocery store receipt using the "Box Tops for Education" App.
4. Enjoy earning cash for Tohickon!
Traditional Box tops are being phased out of production, but you can still send any remaining unexpired clips to Tohickon.
All money raised from this continuous collection will supplement club and activity programs, including volunteer activities. For more information on Box Tops for Education go to www.boxtops4education.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