We hope that this edition of Tamanend Connections serves as a welcome and reference for the 2022-2023 school year. You can reference current and past editions of this newsletter under "School Links" on our website. Our regular weekly newsletters will be sent out beginning Friday, August 26.

Welcome to the 2022-2023 school year! My name is Brian Caughie and I am honored to serve the Tamanend community as Principal. I look forward to partnering with you and your family to provide the best middle school experience possible for your children.

Middle school is a busy time of personal, social, academic, and physical growth. The middle school experience is characterized by exploration, discovery, and practice, and learning. At Tamanend, teachers, staff members, parents, community members, and peers work together to help each child find his or her own definition of success. That is why we promote the idea that we are “Tamanend Together.” Our community approaches new ideas, successes, and challenges together.

We are very excited to welcome everyone back to Tamanend for the 2022-2023 school year! We look forward to celebrating our traditions and introducing new activities this year. We look forward to welcoming our 7th Graders to the Tamanend family. We look forward to welcoming students from other middle schools to our community. We look forward to welcoming back our returning 8th and 9th Graders. We look forward to creating new memories and setting new standards for excellence. We look forward to doing all of these things together.

Tamanend is committed to ensuring that every child has a positive experience at our school. We work hard to ensure that we have financial supports in place for families in need. Please be aware that we can help with the following resources:

• Food--pantry with healthy snacks and personal care items available all day in the Library; meals to take home (students and/or parents and guardians can contact Mrs. Consoletti in the Guidance Office or Mrs. Myrtetus in the Health Office); weekend food packages to take home (students and/or parents and guardians can contact Mrs. Consoletti in the Guidance Office or Mrs. Myrtetus in the Health Office)
• Clothing
• Technology fees
  
• Internet access
• Field trips, school supplies, fees
• Holiday gifts

If your family experiences a financial hardship, please feel free to email one of the staff members below so that we may help:

Brian Caughie (Principal) bcaughie@cbsd.org

Kyle Dudley (Assistant Principal) kdudley@cbsd.org

Lauren Myrtetus (Certified School Nurse) lmyrtetus@cbsd.org

Jeff Klein (Guidance Counselor and Athletic Director) jklein@cbsd.org

Mandy Cammann (Guidance Counselor) mcammann@cbsd.org

Andrea Consoletti (Guidance Secretary) aconsoletti@cbsd.org

I look forward to working with you and your family this year. Together, we will forge positive relationships and continue to make Tamanend a special place where students feel engaged, valued, and successful. We are fortunate to have phenomenal staff and faculty members who are here to support your child. We hope that your child can join us for our open house on Friday, August 19 (details below). During this open house, students can informally tour the building, meet other students, find their lockers, decorate their lockers (if they wish), and find their classrooms.

Best wishes and enjoy the rest of the summer!

Sincerely,

Brian D. Caughie, Ed.D.

Principal

Tamanend Middle School

MyPaymentsPlus Opens for Technology Fee Payments--Monday, August 15 (details below)

Middle School Student Schedules Released on Parent Portal--Friday, August 19 at 8:00 AM (details below)

Tamanend Open House--Friday, August 19; 8:00--10:00 reserved for 7th Graders; 10:00--4:00 open to all 7th, 8th, 9th Graders (details below)

Deadline for 7th and 8th Graders to Register for Fall Sports--Wednesday, August 24 (details below)

First Regular Newsletter for 2022-2023--to be released Friday, August 26

First Day of School for Students--Monday, August 29

School Holidays--Friday, September 2 and Monday, September 5

Tamanend Student Picture Day--Wednesday, September 14

7th Grade Back to School Night--Thursday, September 15 at 7:00

8th & 9th Grade Back to School Night--Thursday, September 22 at 7:00

Parent Council Meeting--Thursday, September 29 at 9:00 AM

Deadline to Complete Annual Student Information Update in Portal--Friday, September 30 (details below)

On Friday, August 19, Tamanend will be open for students and families.

8:00 AM until 10:00 AM is reserved for 7th Graders and other students who are new to our school. Any student (7th, 8th or 9th Graders) may attend any time from 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM. During this open house, students can informally tour the building, meet other students, find their lockers, decorate their lockers (if they wish), and find their classrooms. Students from the National Junior Honors Society (NJHS) will be available to help students navigate the building.

Please note that the Parent and Student Portals, which provide schedule information, will open on August 19 at 8:00 AM. This is where students will be able to find their class schedules.

Student schedules will be available on the Portal starting Friday, August 19 at 8:00 AM.

Click here to view the 7th Grade School Supply List and Welcome Letter

Click here to view the 8th Grade School Supply List and Welcome Letter

Click here to view the 9th Grade School Supply List and Welcome Letter

Reminder: Students should purchase a lock for their Gym locker on MyPaymentsPlus. (see below)

7th Grade BTSN will be held Thursday, September 15 at 7:00 pm

8th and 9th Grade BTSN will be held Thursday, September 22 at 7:00 pm

Tamanend Middle School empowers students to grow academically, socially and emotionally. Students, staff, and families work collaboratively to model the acronym ROAR.

Respect yourself, others, and property.

Own your behaviors.

Act appropriately.

Remember Kindness.

We believe that a caring, positive school culture and learning environment foster respectful, thoughtful, appropriate, and kind citizens.

In order to operationalize our mission, Tamanend utilizes a school-wide positive behavioral intervention and support plan (SWPBIS). This plan helps us establish a social culture in which students expect and support appropriate behavior from one another— creating school environments that are socially predictable, consistent, safe, and positive. This helps to reduce problem behaviors that lead to office discipline referrals and suspensions, and to change perceptions of school safety.

Here is a list of ways Tamanend communicates with students, families, and the community:

• Tamanend website: includes important information, resources, calendar of school events, and daily announcements
• Calendar of school events (posted on our website)
• Daily announcements (Posted each school day morning in Canvas. Look for the “Tamanend Announcements” course. Students will self-enroll in this course during the first week of school. Once your child self-enrolls, you can become an observer in the course and view announcements. See details below on how to create a parent Canvas account.)
• TV show (weekly, during Advisory period)
• Email blasts from Tamanend administration regarding important news, new procedures, and reminders
• Parent Portal: student information, grades, and attendance
• Tamanend Connections newsletter: useful information, important reminders, and school highlights emailed weekly during school year and posted on Tamanend website
• Twitter: @CBTamanendMS highlights of activities, events, and daily life at Tamanend
• CBSD app: highlights of activities, events, and daily life in Central Bucks
  

Starting with the 2022-2023 school year, Tamanend is changing how we publish daily announcements. We will be publishing daily announcements through Canvas. We believe this change will make students more connected to the many activities and events available at our school. Tamanend Students will self-enroll in the "Tamanend Announcements" Canvas course during the first week of school. Once your child self-enrolls, you can become an observer in the course and view announcements. (See details below on how to create a parent Canvas account.) Please note that you will not be able to see the "Tamanend Announcements" until your child self-enrolls in the course during the first week of school.

¡Bienvenidos a Tamanend! Yo soy Brian Caughie, Director de Tamanend Middle School. Soy hispanohablante. Pasé mucho de mi vida en España. Estoy aquí para apoyarles a todos los estudiantes y familias en Tamanend. Favor de llamarme or escribirme (en inglés o en español) si Ud. tiene cualquier duda o pregunta.

Correo electrónico: bcaughie@cbsd.org

Oficina: (267) 893-2900

Pennsylvania law requires all persons having direct contact with school children to obtain background checks and clearances. If you are planning on volunteer in in a Central Bucks school during the 2022-2023 school year, you will need to go to Volunteer Required Paperwork, and complete what is needed to be an approved volunteer in our school. Thank you!

Note: Families can't pay for the laptop 1 to 1 agreement until 8/16. This message is a preview.

Dear Central Bucks Families:

We hope that you had a relaxing summer. Our team is gearing up for the 2022-23 school year which includes handing out student laptops.

The Technology and Innovation Department is excited to kick off our student device distribution. All Central Bucks’ students will either receive a device this year or continue to use the device that was issued last year. Below is a chart that lists the device that will be issued by grade level as well as the cost of the usage fee. The distribution date is still to be determined.

Even if your child has his/her own device, we are asking that you participate in our program to allow for a consistent learning platform for our students. All students in a grade level will receive a device equipped with: internet filtering, software, tech support for break/fix, and access to instructional tools and resources used by our teachers. You can learn more on our FAQ page: https://www.cbsd.org/Page/38121

First Steps for Families:

The first step prior to distribution is to enroll online and pay a usage fee. The usage fee covers the at-home and in-school use of a device, a charger, and insurance for accidental breaks. We have different pricing structures for elementary students as they will pay $15 a year and secondary families will pay $60 in 7th grade and $60 in 10th grade. Each payment for secondary will be good for three years. We have prorated payments for all secondary students who are new to Central Bucks.

Who has to pay the fee?

All students in grades 3-6, 7, 10, 12+, and new families* must complete the steps below prior to receiving a device.

*New students to Central Bucks in secondary will pay a prorated fee. 8th and 11th grade students will pay $40. 9th and 12th grade students will pay $20. These students will complete the user agreement and bring a check made out to CBSD Schools to the device pick-up.

What steps does a family need to take prior to device handout?

1. Beginning on August 16th, all families in grades 3-12 should visit: https://www.cbsd.org/1to1
2. Parent/Guardian and Student will click on and read the 1:1 Handbook.
3. Parent/Guardian signs the user agreement and pays* the user fee via MyPaymentsPlus (MPP). Upon submitting the fee and MPP agreement, you are confirming that you have reviewed the information with your child.

The Fee Table:

*Please note that the fee is reduced for families who are economically disadvantaged. You will see the balance as $0 when entering MPP. All families still need to complete steps 1-3 even if the balance is $0. Additionally, new procedures for Free and Reduced guidelines are being established and sent out next week.

**If you were not given a bag last year, the school can provide one for you. Students in grade 3 will receive a new bag this year.

Questions?

If you are able to submit a Help Desk ticket for technical questions do so here.

Thank you for your support with the handout this year. We hope that you have an amazing year with your child. On behalf of the Technology and Innovation Department, good luck on the first day of school.

Students eat lunch with their grade-level classmates. 7th Grade lunch is after 4th Period. 8th Grade lunch is after 5th Period. 9th Grade lunch is after 3rd Period.

School breakfast and lunch has been available for Central Bucks School District students at no cost since March 2020. Reimbursement for the cost of providing these meals has come through a United States Department of Agriculture Waiver issued to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. This waiver suspended free and reduced lunch eligibility requirements, allowing for universal participation in the National School Lunch Program. The waiver is expected to expire at the end of Jun

In anticipation of this, we wish to remind families of the following:

• Eligible families are strongly encouraged to apply for free and reduced lunches. Families may apply through an online application that is safe, secure, and private. Visit cbsd.org/freeandreduced for details. All children in households eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits are eligible for free meals. If you have questions about your family’s eligibility, please send email to Renee Ziccardi at rziccardi@cbsd.org or contact your school nurse.
• When the waiver expires, students may again purchase lunch, a la carte items, or snacks through their MySchoolBucks account. Now is a good time to log on, bring your child’s account up to date if money is owed, and update expired payment information. Review frequently asked questions about school lunch accounts on our website. Your child will not be able to utilize their account to purchase a la carte items or snacks if it is past due. If you have questions about your child’s account, or if you believe the balance information is inaccurate, please contact Renee Ziccardi at rziccardi@cbsd.org.

Families can access the online application for Free & Reduced Meals by clicking here. The application must be submitted each year.

We hope your child is looking forward to a new school year. Family ID is currently open for FALL SPORTS registration. All 7th and 8th Grade students interested in playing a Fall sport for Tamanend this year must be registered on the Family ID web site by 8:00am on Wednesday, August 24th. Information that pertains to practices/tryouts and seasons will only be distributed to those who are registered on Family ID. For those new to middle school sports, there will usually be practices/games Monday through Thursday during each season, with an occasional Friday practice/game. Practices begin between 2:45 and 3:00 and typically end between 4:30 and 4:45. Student-athletes are bussed to and from away games and are to be picked up upon return to Tamanend. Student-athletes are to be picked up at the end of each practice as there is no late bus. Additional information will be communicated by me and individual coaches as the season approaches.

All student-athletes must have completed PIAA physicals uploaded to Family ID prior to the start of the Fall sports season. The PIAA physical forms can be found HERE. Additional items are outlined and explained on the Tamanend Athletics web page.

Practices/tryouts for all sports will start after the school year begins. Specific info will be distributed as the time gets closer. The most important tasks, for now, are to register on Family ID and be sure PIAA paperwork is uploaded to Family ID.

Football players:

• Voluntary summer workouts will take place on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:00-4:45, beginning Monday, August 8th, on Tamanend’s back fields. Please keep in mind that there is no requirement to attend these workouts, and family activities, vacations, etc. should not be rearranged in order to attend. Questions should be directed to Coach Gerth (ggerth@cbsd.org) or Coach Kollock (wkollock@cbsd.org).
• Helmet distribution is scheduled for Wednesday, August 24th. 8th graders are to report to Tamanend’s gym between 4:00 and 4:30, and 7th graders are to report to Tamanend’s gym between 4:30 and 5:00. That day’s voluntary workout time will be adjusted accordingly and communicated as the time gets closer. If unable to attend helmet distribution, please contact a coach to make arrangements for the following week.

If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Klein.

Jeff Klein

School Counselor

Athletic Director

Tamanend Middle School

Central Bucks School District

267.893.2910

We received a donation of brand new backpacks. If you would like one for your child, please email one of the following staff members and we will set one aside for you:

Brian Caughie, Principal bcaughie@cbsd.org

Patti Hartz, Secretary phartz@cbsd.org

Andrea Consoletti aconsoletti@cbsd.org

Students are not required to purchase a CBSD issued physical education uniform; however, students will be required to change into athletic attire and sneakers to participate safely and practice good hygiene. Student attire must adhere to the dress code guidelines presented in the student handbook. CB locks will still be required to purchase to ensure personal items are secured in a locker. Locks are available for purchase on MyPaymentsPlus.

For supervision and safety reasons, students may not be dropped off at school before 7:10 a.m. If you are driving your student to school and arrive before 7:10, please remain in your car with your student until 7:10 a.m.

We will run a special schedule on the first day of school. Here's where students will start their day on Monday, August 29:

7th Graders--Auditorium

8th & 9th Graders--Report to their Tiger's i class. This class appears on students' schedules after 2nd Period and is listed as I&E.

If parents/guardians decide to drive students to school, please plan enough travel time to allow for safety and congestion on Stuckert Road and in our school parking lot. The speed limit in our lot is 15 mph.

Below is a map of how the student drop-off will work in our parking lot. Drop off should only happen along the sidewalk in the front parking lot up to the Main Entrance, as indicated by the yellow highlighted area on the map. For your safety and the safety of our students, please follow these directions and do not drop your student off on Stuckert Road, the Visitor's Parking area, or in the middle of the Main Parking Area.

When dropping off your child, please remember that you should MAKE A RIGHT-HAND TURN INTO/OUT OF THE PARKING LOT. Please stay to the right of the parking lot, along the sidewalk, all the way up to the Stop Sign across from the Tennis Courts. Pull up as far as you can when the cars in front of you clear, and let your child out on the sidewalk. PLEASE STAY IN A SINGLE-FILE LINE WHILE IN THE PARKING LOT.

When picking up your child, please remember that YOU SHOULD ONLY MAKE A RIGHT-HAND TURN INTO THE PARKING LOT. The line of traffic will extend back toward the baseball field (Kelly Rd.). Please stay in the line of traffic and continue moving up as the car(s) in front of you move up. If we follow this procedure, all cars we be gone by 2:40.

When the weather is poor (heavy rain, low temperatures, etc.), more and more parents/guardians choose to drive their children to school. A reminder that students are expected to be in their 1st Period classes by 7:30 AM. If a child is late to school because of CBSD transportation, their tardiness will be excused. If a student is late to school because of car trouble, over-sleeping, or they are in the car drop-off line, their tardiness is unexcused. Typically, there are few cars in the drop off line from when the doors open at 7:10 until about 7:20. After 7:20, the line begins to get very long.

If you drive your child to school and the weather is poor, please consider leaving home earlier so that your child arrives to class on time.

Thanks for your assistance!

The regular school day is from 7:30--2:30.

7:10: Students may be dropped off at Tamanend.

7:10--7:20*: 7th Graders wait in the Auditorium; 8th Graders wait in the Cafeteria; 9th Graders wait in Main Gym

7:20: Classrooms open to students

7:27: Reminder bell rings

7:30: First period classes begin

*Breakfast is available to students in all grades beginning at 7:10 in the Cafeteria.

Last year, CB middle schools began running a weekly intervention and enrichment period. The purpose of this period is to provide time, space, and support for students to receive help from a teacher, to participate in enrichment activities, and to prepare for upcoming assessments and projects. At Tamanend, we called this time Tiger's i. For the 2022-2023 school year, our middle schools will be expanding this from a weekly program to a daily program. Students' Tiger's i groups will meet during the I & E block on their schedule.

You may report your child's absence in any of the following ways:

• Phone (Attendance hotline): 267-893-2920
• Written note to be turned in to Main Office
• Through Portal. Click here to learn how to report student absences through Portal.
  

Children entering 7th grade are required to have:

• 1 dose Meningococcal Conjugate (meningitis)
• 1 dose TDAP – tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis

Please send an up to date copy of your child's immunization report to lmyrtetus@cbsd.org.

To check the immunization status of your student, go to the Portal and click on the Health tab.

Dental exams are required for all 7th Graders by October 15, 2022. Any exam given since September 1, 2021 is acceptable. Please have your student turn in his or her dental exam form directly to the Health Office.

Tamanend is committed to ensuring that every child has a positive experience at our school. We work hard to ensure that we have financial supports in place for families in need. Please be aware that we can help with the following resources:

• Food--pantry with healthy snacks and personal care items available all day outside of Guidance; meals to take home (students and/or parents and guardians can contact Mrs. Consoletti in the Guidance Office or Mrs. Myrtetus in the Health Office); weekend food packages to take home (students and/or parents and guardians can contact Mrs. Consoletti in the Guidance Office or Mrs. Myrtetus in the Health Office)
• Clothing
• Internet access
• Field trips, school supplies, fees
• Holiday gifts

If your family experiences a financial hardship, please feel free to email one of the staff members below so that we may help:

Brian Caughie (Principal) bcaughie@cbsd.org

Kyle Dudley (Assistant Principal) kdudley@cbsd.org

Lauren Myrtetus (Certified School Nurse) lmyrtetus@cbsd.org

Jeff Klein (Guidance Counselor and Athletic Director) jklein@cbsd.org

Mandy Cammann (Guidance Counselor) mcammann@cbsd.org

Andrea Consoletti (Guidance Secretary) aconsoletti@cbsd.org

Tamanend students make a difference in our community. Share your story about the accomplishments and good work of a Tamanend student with Dr. Caughie at bcaughie@cbsd.org so that he may highlight this good news in an upcoming edition of Tamanend Connections.

Email: tms@cbsd.org
Website: http://www.cbsd.org/Domain/25
Location: 1492 Stuckert Road, Warrington, PA
Phone: 267.893.2900