The Tohickon Golden Eagle
February 2023
THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR BEGINS
Dear Tohickon Families,
The first semester concluded on January 27. Tohickon celebrated the end of the first semester with a pep rally for all grade levels. During the event, all grade levels participated in games, activities and other events that generated excitement for our students and staff. The new semester/marking period began on January 31. Key events during the month of February include our 7th and 8th Program Planning activities, Math Midterms in most Math classes and our annual 6th Grade Parent Orientation.
On February 1 and 2, all eighth-grade students will attend program planning sessions with our counselors, where they will choose their electives for grade 9. Additionally, during the first week of February, all grade 7 core teachers will be holding individual conferences with students in order to discuss their course recommendations for grade 8. All 8th grade individual student conferences will take place during the second week of the month. Verification sheets for 7th grade will be posted online on February 10, while 8th grade sheets will be posted on February 22.
Math midterms are scheduled in most classes on February 7. If your child(ren) is taking the midterm, please encourage them to eat well and get a good night’s sleep prior to taking the exam. For those that are taking the exam, it is a summative assessment of concepts learned in their classes during the first semester. In order to prepare for the exam, students are encouraged to visit their Math teachers during I and E or resource.
The annual 6th Grade Orientation Presentation is scheduled to take place on February 28 at 7:00 PM, in the Tohickon Auditorium. During this presentation, the administration and supporting staff provide all 6th grade parents with an overview of the middle school program and help them to become acquainted with the routines and procedures at the secondary level. Typically, Tohickon gear and other school items will be available for purchase at the beginning of the evening. We always look forward to meeting our new parents during this special event!
Generally speaking, February can be tough time for students to stay motivated in school due to the cold weather. Due to this, we are kindly asking our parents to help in making sure that everyone comes into school each day rested and prepared. This is especially true for our 9th grade students. In closing, I wish everyone well and hope you have a great month!
Sincerely,
Kevin Marton
Tohickon Principal
FEBRUARY CALENDAR OF EVENTS
The events for the month of February are as follows:
Wednesday, February 1
- 8th Grade Course Selections
Thursday February 2
- 8th Grade Course Selections
Tuesday, February 7
- Math Midterms
Thursday, February 16
- Parent Council Meeting in Library beginning at 9:00 AM
Friday, February 17
- No School for Students/Teacher In-Service
Monday, February 20
- President's Day - Schools Closed
Tuesday, February 28
- 6th Grade Parent Orientation 7:00 PM
Parent Council
We will be holding our next Parent Council Meeting on Thursday, February 16, beginning at 9:00 AM. The meeting will be held in person in the library. We hope to see you there!
FROM THE ATTENDANCE OFFICE
PARENTS/GUARDIANS ARE ENCOURAGED TO NOTIFY THE SCHOOL OF ANY ABSENCE, LATENESS OR EARLY DISMISSALS THROUGH THE PARENT PORTAL. Excused absences include illness, death in the immediate family, inclement weather that would jeopardize the safety of the student, religious holidays, home emergencies directly related to the student, health care of the student which cannot be arranged outside of school hours, and educational trips or family travel under the conditions outlined as per the School Board Policy. Please use the parent portal rather than send your child with a written absentee notice. If an absence has not been entered through the parent portal or call has not been received within one week of the absence, it will remain marked as unexcused. We strongly encourage submitting a doctor note if your child has missed three or more days of school or has missed school due to a scheduled appointment. Doctor notes can be emailed to dmeadows@cbsd.org.
Ten (10) days of cumulative lawful absences verified by parental notification will be permitted during a school year. Absences beyond ten (10) days require an excuse from a physician. In cases when a physician’s note is required, absences not documented by a physician’s note will be considered unlawful.
Vacation
Children may also be excused from school for educational tours or trips, which are defined as non-school sponsored trips taken by the student with immediate family members in attendance. Only two (2) separate absences for family travel will be excused, and the TOTAL number of days missed must not exceed five (5) days. Days exceeding these guidelines will be considered unlawful and/or unexcused. It is the responsibility of the student to let teachers know and obtain work prior to the absence in order to keep pace with class progress.
Lateness
A student is considered late if they are not in their seat in 1st period by the second bell at 7:30 AM. Students must report to the office (with a note from their parent/guardian explaining their lateness) to receive a late pass in order to gain admittance to class. Such reasons as missing the bus, oversleeping, etc. are not valid excuses for lateness. On the third unexcused tardy, an administrative conference will be arranged. If the problem persists, stronger measures may be taken. Late time may be accumulated and count toward unlawful absences from school.
News from The National Junior Honor Society
The National Junior Honor Society is an organization that recognizes and encourages academic achievement along with characteristics essential to citizens in a democracy, such as scholarship, service, leadership, character, and citizenship. Below is a brief outline of the application process for Tohickon’s chapter of NJHS:
- Current 8th and 9th grade students who meet the academic requirement of a rolling GPA of 3.5 or higher will be invited to apply in early March. Eligible students will receive an application via email. Additionally, an application will be mailed home to the parent(s)/guardian(s) of the student.
- Students will have approximately 2-3 weeks to complete the application.
- A faculty council will then review the applications. The final decision for membership will be made by the faculty council and acceptance letters will be mailed home in early April.
- As active members, students will be given opportunities to share their talents and skills with the school and community.
Other Important Information:
- Current members (9th grade students who were inducted in Spring 2022) do not need to reapply; therefore, they will not receive an application.
- The Induction ceremony will be held Wednesday, May 17th, 2023
- If you have any questions about the National Junior Honor Society, please email Mr. Saska at dsaska@cbsd.org
Team Infinity
On Friday, 1/27 Team Infinity celebrated reaching the mid-year point of the school year with a Team Awards Ceremony. Two types of awards were given: Team Infinity Awards were given to teacher nominated students for their hard work, inspiring attitudes, and positive contributions to class, while Effort Awards were presented to students who earned a 95% and above in the formative work category through BOTH the first and second marking periods. We have had a great year so far and are proud of every Infinity student for the progress they have made as middle schoolers and are looking forward to what the second half of the year has in store.
Team Summit
On Friday, January 13, Team Summit had a fun afternoon in the auditorium! It was the very first Team Summit Quiz Bowl. Students were put into teams by their resource class and were chosen randomly to come to the stage. Students were asked subject area questions and random questions about their teachers. In between rounds of questions, students participated in Minute-to-Win-it activities. These were short challenges where students could earn points for their team. It was a tie score at 2:25 PM. Mrs. Reese and Ms. Kerrigan did a Rock-Paper-Scissors for the final activity! And Mrs. Reese won!! The winning resources, (Reese, Bartosiewicz, Jones and Girardi), will be rewarded one day soon in resource with a tasty treat!
What’s happening in FCS?
Family and Consumer Sciences
Ninth grade cooking students finished the semester with a cooking competition. The cookoff required students to plan and prepare a food, utilizing skills learned through the semester. After deciding their categories (breakfast, pasta, appetizers, desserts), students prepared their recipes. They were judged on creativity, taste, and visual appeal. The students not only made their food taste good but look good too! The judges had a tasty task, and a winner was declared for each class.
Student Council
Student Council, Pep Band, and our cheerleaders lead our 20th Anniversary Pep Rally, and it was a huge success! The kids had a blast competing for their teams and the pep band kept the positive energy flowing through the gym.
Upcoming events:
Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching! Make the day special for your friends by sending them Candygrams. Student Council will be taking orders all next week at lunch. Candygrams will be delivered on Valentine’s Day, February 14th!
All profits will fund future Student Council events/projects. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the student council advisors with any questions.
Ms. Dobrowolski ndobrowolski@cbsd.org
Ms. Meadows dmeadows@cbsd.org
TWENTY YEAR ANNIVERSARY NOMINATIONS
We invite you to nominate alumni & staff to be recognized as we celebrate over twenty years at Tohickon!
On Friday, November 18th a rededication ceremony was held to recreate the dedication ceremony that was held on November 19th, 2002.
We are holding a year-long celebration with special spirit days, reflection events, and unveilings of different projects being worked on to commemorate this milestone.
One of our projects is to celebrate and recognize the achievements of alumni and staff members. We invite you to nominate Tohickon alumni and staff for their achievements with the recognition form below. Please complete one entry per nomination. Examples include but are not limited to military service, first responder service, educational achievement, led a fundraiser, led an initiative, created their own business, achievement in the arts, achievements in athletics, government service, etc.
A committee of students, staff, and parents will review all submissions to identify those who will be honored. Due to the volume of submissions, we will make every attempt to honor those who are nominated based on the criteria.
To nominate, please click the link below:
TOHICKON YEARBOOKS
Tohickon yearbooks will go on sale Wednesday, February 1st for a reduced price of $40 until Tuesday, February 14th at 11:59 PM. After that time, the yearbook price increases to $45. If your child would like a yearbook, please order one before our final deadline: Thursday, March 2nd. No extra copies of the yearbook will be ordered. Yearbooks can be purchased through MyPaymentsPlus on or after February 1st.
To order a yearbook for your child, please visit MyPaymentsPlus and log in. If you register as a guest, please make sure to use your child’s first and last name instead of your own.
For instructions on accessing MyPaymentsPlus, please visit this link.
For help, questions, or additional information, please contact TOHyearbook@cbsd.org
IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM THE HEALTH OFFICE
Important Information from the Health Office
Flu season is in full swing along with additional respiratory viruses! Please remember to give any cold medication prior to school since we don’t have any medications, other than cough drops to help symptoms. Children may carry their own personal supply of cough drops but no other medication with a physician order, including over the counter medications. Children should remain home from school with a fever above 100.3 degrees Fahrenheit. Remember to Wash Hands Often to help reduce the spread of germs.
We will be doing Scoliosis Screening on all 7th graders over the next several weeks. It is a quick and easy screening where the nurse examines the spine for any noticeable abnormalities. This is done with shirts on. Please email shkelly@cbsd.org if you wish to exclude your child from this screening, or if they are under the care of a physician with a known diagnosis of scoliosis. Abnormal results will be shared with a parent/guardian to follow-up with their physician.
Attention Parents of Incoming 7th Graders
It’s hard to believe but it is an exciting time of year when you start thinking about your child’s transition to middle school! All 7th graders need an updated Dental exam along with the Tdap and meningitis vaccines prior to the start of 7th grade. Please keep this in mind as you schedule check-ups with the dentist or doctor. You may send in any recent dental exam or updated immunizations, anytime through the remainder of the school year, to Tohickon or your child’s elementary school. Feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns to Sheila Kelly, School Nurse at shkelly@cbsd.org. I look forward to meeting you at 6th Grade Parent Orientation on Tuesday, February 28, 2023!
News from the Math Department
The math department’s favorite holiday is a little over a month away! Pi Day will be celebrated on Tuesday, March 14th. During the month of February, students will have the opportunity to preorder Tastykake pies from their math teacher, and they will be delivered to them in math class on Pi Day. Each Tastykake pie will cost $2 and the proceeds from our annual pie sales will be donated to the Ronald McDonald House Charities. In 2016, Tohickon purchased over 2,000 pies which resulted in a $1,500 donation to RMH! The Tohickon Math Department is excited to bring back our annual Pi Day pie tradition after a few years hiatus. Help support a great cause and celebrate the best math holiday of the year! Please see your math teacher for more information about our Pi Day fundraiser.
From Student Services
Middle School Orientation for parents of sixth graders will be held on Tuesday, February 28 at 7:00 PM at Tohickon Middle School. Plan to attend and learn everything you ever wanted to know about middle level education and more. If you have any questions, please call 267-893-3300.
PROGRAM PLANNING INFORMATION - For more information go to the Tohickon Student Services website https://www.cbsd.org/Page/848
9th Grade
· Students enter their course requests via the Student Portal by Sunday evening, February 5th .
· All Schedules will be reviewed by a HS counselor to make sure they are correct.
· HS & MS counselors are available to answer questions and help program plan.
· Course Verifications will be available online March 17th
· No changes to course requests will be accepted after March 31.
8th Grade
· Students will select their electives for 9th grade on February 1st and 2nd .
· Teachers review Honors vs Academic criteria in class.
· Course Verifications will be available online February 22nd .
o Electronically confirmed by February 28th
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 have your child come to the Student Services Office by February 3rd
· Course Verifications will be online on February 10th
o Electronically confirmed by February 16th
*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.
7th and 8th grade artwork is on display at the ESC
FROM THE ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT
Tohickon Athletics
Spring sports begin March 20th! Registration is now open for all 7th and 8th graders that would like to play a sport at Tohickon. Spring sports include: Softball, Baseball, Girls Soccer, Boys Tennis, Girls and Boys Track and Field, Girls and Boys Lacrosse. Registration is completed online. Directions can be found at: Sports Registration Directions. Registration deadline is March 17th. We are looking forward to many students participating in spring sports this year. Please encourage your child to get involved. Reach out to Athletic Director Ken Hall at khall@cbsd.org with questions.
CB Save the Music Concerts
Please check out our recent edition of East Bound Sounds: A band newsletter for the CB East cluster
Included in this edition is information about the upcoming CB Save the Music concerts, scheduling music at the high school, a calendar of upcoming band events and rehearsals at East, Tohickon, and Holicong, and some tips for parents.
The end of the first semester is a busy time, and there are many exciting things happening. We hope this helps!
2023 Spring Softball Registration is OPEN!
Warrington Warwick Softball Organization (WWSO)
Offers opportunities for girls ages 5 to 17 to play in our recreational program.
The Organization is Little League affiliated (PA Section 6 District 30) and consists of 5 divisions.
The league season runs from the beginning of April to the middle of June.
Practices are determined by each individual coach and normally are once a week.
Games are played Monday through Friday 6pm - 8pm, and any time on Saturdays between 8am - 6pm.
Games may be played at Barness or Hampton Chase Park (Dark Hollow-Warwick)
Registration is open now!
Early Bird Special December 31-Fabruary 1, 2023
Registration ENDS February 29, 2023
$25 Late Fee for registrations after March 1, 2023
Visit our website for more information at www.wwso.org OR scan to register today!
Questions? E-mail wwsoboard@gmail.com
RX FUNDRAISING
If you have not registered yet, please help Tohickon raise funds by registering below:
support.rxfundraising.com/TohickonMS
Thank you for taking a minute to register!
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