The Tohickon Golden Eagle
April 2023
Dear Tohickon Families,
The fourth and final marking period of the school year began on April 3. As we move into the final phase of the school year, we are diligently planning for a number of events including, but not limited to state testing, end of year award ceremonies and closing activities for our Freshman.
The PSSA tests will be given to our seventh and eighth grade students. The PSSA ELA testing will take place on April 24, 25, 26. Math PSSA will take place on May 2 and 3, while science will occur on May 9. As April 24 approaches, more reminders and information will be sent to parents and families. The Keystone Exams will take place later in the month of May. We will provide details on these exams in next month's newsletter.
April is the time of year when our ninth grade students really begin to set their sights on high school. All of their high school courses have been selected and there is a realization that their time at Tohickon is coming to an end. We do everything we can to make these final weeks extra special for our freshman. The DC Trip, Freshman Dance and Freshman Day are very special culminating events designed to celebrate three great years at Tohickon Middle School. We will be sharing the details of these events in our May Newsletter.
In closing, I wish everyone a safe and healthy month! As always, if you have any questions or need clarification on any items, please reach out to the main office at 267-893-3300 or the guidance office at 267-893-3310.
Sincerely,
Kevin Marton
Tohickon Principal
APRIL UPCOMING EVENTS
- Thursday, April 6 -No School for Students/Teacher In-Service
- Friday, April 7 - No School Students/Staff
- Monday, April 10 - No School for Students/Teacher In-Service
- Friday, April 14- TOH JAM 7PM
- Monday, April 24 - English/Language Arts PSSA Testing Grades 7 & 8
- Tuesday, April 25 - English/Language Arts PSSA Testing Grades 7 & 8
- Wednesday, April 26 - English/Language Arts PSSA Testing Grades 7 & 8
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CAST, CREW, MR. DENGLER, AND MRS. BADIALI FOR AN AMAZING SPRING MUSICAL
"Newsies Jr." was a huge success! Congratulations to all of our students and staff involved in this year's Spring Musical. The entire cast and crew put on a fantastic performance. We are very proud of those who put the time and effort into this amazing performance!
SRTA. HEATH'S SPANISH 2 CLASSES ARE ROLLING OUT THE RED CARPET
Srta. Heath's Spanish 2 classes recently put on a fashion show. The students worked in pairs taking turns describing their partner's outfit and modeling their own outfits. The students used the past tense words to say where their partner went and when they went to this place. They took turns describing each other's outfits and saying how they fit, how much they paid and how they paid (credit card/cash).
The students did a wonderful job and used the vocabulary and preterite tense in an authentic and engaging way!!
Sra. Donohoe and Sra. Levenson Spanish 1 Classes
Students in Spanish 1 enrichment make Guatemalan friendship bracelets and dance to salsa and merengue music from the video game Just Dance with Sra. Donohoe and Sra. Levenson.
TOHICKON OFFICE STAFF
We have some new faces in the office and would like to give a warm welcome to Mrs. Stevens who has come to us after being with Gayman Elementary for the past 7 years and Mrs. Cooper who has returned to us this year as our Duty & Office Assistant.
Pictured from Left to Right:
Mrs. Cooper-Duty/Office Assistant
Mrs. Stevens- Assistant Principal's Secretary/Attendance Secretary
Ms. Meadows- Principal's Secretary
ATTENDANCE MATTERS
Attendance Policies & Information
The Compulsory Attendance Law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania requires that an absence excuse submitted by the parent or guardian be on file for every day of the student’s absence. Our new attendance procedures allow parents to submit this absence request via the parent portal. These requests serve as the excuse for the absences. We will no longer be accepting voice messages to excuse absences. If you do not have a parent account, you can find the instructions on our website in the attendance tab.
Tardy Students
A student is considered tardy if they are late to school or class. Students are expected to be in their seats by 7:30. There has been increasing traffic in the morning due to buses and car line; please be sure to add extra time to your morning commute. If your student is late, please be sure to enter the reason in the parent portal Student who are tardy more than three times will receive an after-school detention.
Vacation Requests
We are no longer requiring Vacation Forms. These requests can be made through the parent portal. Please be sure that your student is communicating with their teachers ahead of time, so they can get a plan together for missing work, instruction, and assignments. Please remember that a maximum of five days per student per school year can be approved.
Appointments
Please use the portal to report times when your child may be arriving late or leaving early. When picking your child up from school, please come to door #1 and have your ID ready. Please make sure to communicate the absence in advance to avoid having to call into classrooms during instructional times. Please enter student appointments by 8:00 am if possible. This allows us to get passes to students during their advisory.
*All medical Notes can be sent to cstevens@cbsd.org.
BUS DELAYS
BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS
As we progress through the 3rd marking period, our academic teams are preparing for end of the year activities which may include fieldtrips. In order to attend field trips and/or end of year activities, students are expected to be respectful and responsible when interacting with each other and staff members. Our teachers, staff, and administrators have reviewed these behavior expectations with the students throughout the year. Demonstration of respect and responsibility is critically important during these activities/field trips, especially those that are offsite where there is more autonomy and unstructured time for students. If students have received serious disciplinary referrals and/or multiple referrals for any reason, they may be excluded from these special events. We ask that you also discuss with your students the importance of positive behavior and positive actions at school.
The Freshmen Field Trip to Washington, D.C. is Quickly Approaching!
The ninth-grade is very excited about its upcoming trip on Monday, May 15th, 2023. Students and their chaperones will visit the many museums, monuments, and attractions the city has to offer. Students will need to arrive at Tohickon by 5:15 am on the day of the trip and will return to school around 9:00 pm the same day. Prospective chaperones should be aware that all clearances must be on file with CBSD prior to the day of the trip. Please use the QR Code below for direct access to the district website. We thank you for chaperoning!
PSSA TESTING INFORMATION
This information within this letter provides an update to families regarding PSSA testing and scheduling in our school this year. The Pennsylvania Department of Education requires all school districts to administer PSSA testing for the 2022-23 school year. The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment is aligned with the PA Standards. The English Language Arts and Mathematics PSSAs are administered in grades 3 through 8, and the Science PSSA is administered in grade 4 and grade 8. The specific dates for the English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science Assessment are listed below.
Testing Schedule
English Language Arts
7th-8th grades
April 24th
Section 1
English Language Arts
7th-8th grades
April 25th
Section 2
English Language Arts
7th-8th grades
April 26th
Section 3
Mathematics
7th-8th grades
May 2nd
Section 1
Mathematics
7th-8th grades
May 3rd
Section 2
Science
8th grade
May 9th
Sections 1 and 2
Students learn all skills, concepts, and content necessary to take the assessment within their daily reading, writing, mathematics and science instruction. These assessments are critically important; please encourage your child to do their best. The results will be one of the measures we use as we make curricular updates and revisions. Individual performance will be one of the factors we consider when determining which students need additional support or enrichment. The data will help the district plan support for students who are not meeting the expectation of proficient on the exam. Additional information from PDE is enclosed. The attachment contains general information on testing and outlines the electronics policy. Each year there is a question regarding whether students must take the PSSA. A parent/guardian may choose to exempt their child from participating in the exam(s) if the tested content is found to be in conflict with their religious beliefs as per PA Code 22, Chapter 4.4.
To exclude your child from taking one or more PSSA Exam(s), a parent/guardian must complete the following actions required by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE).
- Email the School Assessment Coordinator. For our school, please email Mrs. Wolfinger, Tohickon Student Support Counselor, at kwolfinger@cbsd.org to request an appointment to view the exam(s) to determine if they conflict with your religious beliefs.
- Report to Tohickon Middle School at the appointed time and sign the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Confidentiality Agreement prior to viewing the exams.
- Write a letter to the Superintendent of Schools for Central Bucks School District, Dr. Abram M. Lucabaugh, stating the specific exam(s) you want your child exempt from for religious reasons. Email or submit the letter to Mrs. Wolfinger, Tohickon Student Support Counselor, at kwolfinger@cbsd.org.
messages/attachments/f20218d72fdad1f04d7f7297e75c3ba1/PSSA_Parent_Information.pdf
Sincerely,
Mr. Marton
Principal
National History Day
On Saturday, March 18th, after months of research, Tohickon students had the opportunity to enter their projects into the local National History Day competition at Delaware Valley University. Representing Tohickon were Noah S., Alex A., Jason O., Abhi. M., Keira. L., Maggie. D., and Sophie. R. Noah won 2nd place and Abhi won 4th place in the historical paper category, and Keira, Maggie, and Sophie won 3rd place in the historical documentary category as well as earning a $300 prize for the best Pennsylvania history topic. Congratulations and good luck at the Pennsylvania state competition!
You Be The Chemist
On Saturday, March 18, six of our Tohickon students participated in the You Be The Chemist regional challenge. The contest participants worked in teams to demonstrate their knowledge of chemistry concepts and the scientific method. The challenge itself was a rigorous 40-question live test, which is just one segment of the You Be The Chemist national competition. Next, scores from the challenge will be averaged into their contest video submission. Our Tohickon teams are set to finalize their projects by the end of March. We are so proud of our 7th and 8th grade YBTC participants – and we wish you luck!
NASA Guest Speaker
On Wednesday, March 22, Tohickon PEN students met with NASA educator Ms. Gutierrez virtually to discuss a contest opportunity called NASA: Dream With Us Design Challenge. Students in the contest are tasked with designing and marketing a sustainable commercial aircraft. The contest opened on March 1 and runs through May 15. You can read more about the contest here.
Student Council Presents to Parent Council
CENTRAL BUCKS ART SCHOLARSHIP FUND
Support the Central Bucks Art Scholarship Fund by purchasing an original design on a T-shirt. All proceeds go to one high school senior at each CB high school to pursue future dreams. Shirts will be delivered to Tohickon’s Art Department for dispersal. Thank you for your support, Mrs. Thomas and Mrs. Hallman-DiCicco
Sale dates: 3/17 till 4/17
Submit ALL Order and Payments via My Payments Plus
Search for "District Art Show"
Ms. Gresko's 7th Grade Classroom
HAPPY PI DAY!
Every year Tohickon’s Math Department sells Tastykake pies for delivery on Pi Day to raise money for the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House Charity. This year is the first time since 2020 that the fundraiser has occurred, and the Tohickon students responded with extreme generosity and excitement for their math teachers’ favorite holiday. Tohickon students bought 1,441 Tastykake pies which resulted in a $1,370 donation to the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House Charity!!!! This is our second highest donation to date!
To add to the Pi Day fun, the Tohickon students who bought the most pies got to pie a Tohickon teacher live on the Morning Show on Friday, March 17th. Seventh graders Katharine M., Mason G., Romir U., Kevin S., Maximus M., 8th graders Amy Y., Tobe B., Bailey D., Danica J., Ryan O., and Sophia A., and 9th grader Carter G. bought more than 15 pies each to earn the right to pie a teacher. The grand winner was Emma C., who bought 304 pies – wow! These students had so much fun throwing pies at Mr. Forney, Mr. Bartosiewicz, Mrs. Bellavance, Ms. Dobrowolski, and Mr. Weir.
Thank you to the Tohickon Math Department, students, and families for supporting our annual Pi Day Fundraiser and making the day such a success!
Team Expedition Floor Hockey Fundraiser
10 Teams and over 50 students participated raising $260.00 for Between Friends Outreach.
To find out more about Between Friends Outreach, click the link below
TOHICKON JAZZ BAND
“Congratulations to the Tohickon Jazz Band for being awarded a “superior” for their performance at the Tamanend Jazz Festival. Tohickon also won the “best flute section” award and Logan M. won an outstanding soloist award for his flute solo! Pictured is the Tohickon Jazz Band flute section.
IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM THE HEALTH OFFICE
Message from the Health Office
Welcome Spring! With the weather turning nice along comes seasonal allergies. Please be mindful that allergy medication needs to be administered at home. If you have concerns about other illnesses, reach out to discuss with your physician. We want your children to remain hydrated so please send them in with a water bottle. There are filling stations throughout the school to refill as needed. Children should remain home with a fever above 100.3 degrees.
REMINDER FOR CURRENT 7TH GRADE PARENTS: If you have not done so, PLEASE submit a recent dental exam form or dental information including Child’s name, Dentist name, Contact info and Date of exam to shkelly@cbsd.org This is a 7th Grade requirement.
Important Information for Incoming 7th Graders
7th grade students need to have the Tdap and Meningitis vaccinations prior to the start of the new school year. Please keep this in mind as your child has their yearly physical completed. Also, incoming 7th grade students are required to have a Pennsylvania State Mandated dental exam. Dental exams are acceptable with any date after 9/1/2022. Please complete and return the dental exam form prior to the start of the new school year. Feel free to email Sheila Kelly, school nurse, at shkelly@cbsd.org with any questions or health concerns for your child.
Team Odyssey Knockout Basketball Tournament
In honor of the men’s and women’s March Madness College Basketball tournaments, Team Odyssey held their first every Knockout Basketball Tournament on Friday, March 24th during Resource. Thirty two students competed in the knockout game bracket, and students Noah K., Jonah M., Sasha V., Alex A., Dan K., Hunter R., Logan R., and Cole H. made it to the Elite 8. The final round pitted Noah versus Hunter in a close match that lasted several minutes with lots of swishes from the free throw line. Congratulations to Noah for winning the tournament!
Student Services 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.
- Mrs. Kailin Wolfinger- Social Worker
- Mr. Jesse Everhart - Psycholigist
PA Seal of Biliteracy
On March 14, 2023, the CBSD School Board approved the PA Seal of Biliteracy for students who prove proficiency in English and at least one other world language by graduation! This makes Central Bucks the first district in the county to offer this nationally recognized award.
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