UMMS News & Updates

This newsletter is a duplicate of the message originally sent on Monday, December 2, at 4 PM. A technical issue impacted delivery to some Upper Moreland families, but the issue has now been resolved. We are resending newsletters to ensure all families have received the weekly updates from their student's school building, and apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Middle School Student Hours: 7:35 AM - 2:25 PM

Email Attendance & Dismissal Changes to msattendance@umtsd.org

Nurse Emails to msnurse@umtsd.org

December 4: Winter Choral/Orchestra Concert

December 11: Winter Band Concert

December 23-January 1: No School Students/Teachers

December 24, 25, & January 1: District Closed

Hello 8th-grade! Below is the link for the permission form to the 8th-grade Fun-Raiser/Volleyball tournament.

• Please have a parent complete the form by Friday, December 6.
• If you want to be a team captain please have your parents check the captain box on the form.

Please review the important arrival procedures to ensure a safe and orderly drop-off.

We wanted to send a reminder of our Middle School Campus traffic flow to ensure we can all commute safely onto and through our campus. Failure to follow this traffic flow plan can create hazardous conditions for everyone.

GREEN Lane depicted in the lot below is the car rider drop off loop for students. Please pull all the way into the lot to the back, turn left, and proceed to the top of the lot to drop your student off at the top of the sidewalk.

The RED lane depicted on Orangemans Rd below is not a safe dropoff location for students. Dropping off on Orangemans creates a hazardous condition for our crosswalk. Please do not drop off on the main road in front of the school.

Thank you for your cooperation and your support in keeping our school community safe.

Drop Off Procedures

• Car Riders: Drivers should enter the parking lot directly off of Orangemans Road and follow the one way traffic pattern. Cars will pull up to the end of the parking lot while following the orange cones. Students should exit the vehicle at the sidewalk and enter the building from the main entrance. On the map below, student drop off will occur where the green line follows. Please follow the directions of the staff and signage. Thank you!
• For everyone's safety, drivers should not make "U" or "K" turns on Orangemans Road to drop off a student. Car riders should exit the vehicle in the designated drop off locations.
• Bike Riders: Students who ride a bike will report to the rear of the bus port to park their bikes. Students will then enter the building through the bus port.
• Bus Riders: Students who take a bus will enter the building from the bus port.
• Walkers: Students will enter the building through the main entrance.

Start Times & Late Arrival Procedures

UMMS doors open at 7:35 AM on typical school days and 9:35 AM on two-hour delayed schedules. All students are expected to be in their assigned homeroom by 7:50 AM and 9:50 AM on two-hour delayed schedules. Students who arrive at homeroom after 7:50 AM will report to the main office and be marked late.

Breakfast

Students who choose to eat breakfast will do so in the cafeteria between 7:35 AM and 7:50 AM. Students are expected to report to homeroom directly following breakfast.

On social media, there has been a popular trend featured on Tiktok, Instagram, Snapchat, and various other platforms. The "trend" focuses around the red "Sprayground" tags and Nike Elite zipper pulls, in which an individual tries to "collect" the tags or pull on zippers of some kind. Due to the popularization of this trend, some students have chosen to replicate it for amusement purposes. We are asking parents/guardians to please speak with your student about this and remind them to respect other's property and adhere to the code of conduct. Additionally, we are encouraging all students to keep expensive or sentimental items at home. Thank you for your partnership to support our students.

Do not hesitate to contact your grade level administrator or student services provider as listed below.

• Grade Level Administrators
• Shannon Franczkowski, Principal, Grade 7 Administrator, sfranczkowski@umtsd.org
• Kevin Burke, Assistant Principal, Grade 6 Administrator, kburke@umtsd.org
• Daneyelle Jordan, Assistant Principal, Grade 8 Administrator, djordan@umtsd.org
• School Counselors
• Brian Haupt, School Counselor, Last Names A-K (all grade levels), bhaupt@umtsd.org
• Jennifer Haney, School Counselor, Last Names L-Z (all grade levels), jhaney@umtsd.org
• Katie Beck, School Counselor, Emotional Support Program, kbeck@umtsd.org
• School Nurse
• Mary Nally, School Nurse, mnally@utmsd.org

We're kicking off our 7th year of UMMS's #ProjectLIT Book Club! This is a book club for students, families, and staff to come together. Click here to learn more!

All you have to do to attend is read the book. If you haven't attended before or you're new to the middle school, this is the perfect time to start! All families are welcome!

Ban This Book by Alan Gratz

*Where? UMMS (Library)

*When? Thursday, January 9 from 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM-ish

*What? Powerful group discussions, fun activities, & exciting trivia!

If you are interested in attending, click this link to complete the Sign Up Genius.

How do I get the book?

• Check with your literacy teacher or the UMMS Library
• Check the UM Public Library
• Purchase a copy

If you did not participate in our Bear Appeal this fall, please submit your $20 HSA dues by Friday, December 6.

Cash (exact change only), check (made out to UMMS HSA), or Venmo (@UMMS-HSA) accepted! If sending cash or check, please put in an envelope clearly marked as HSA Dues.

The dues fee is designed to help offset the cost of activities for the students during the 2024-2025 school year! Thanks for helping to make this year a great one!

The Upper Moreland spirit wear store has launched a holiday sale! Choose from hundreds of designs and garments, all with home delivery guaranteed by December 23! Shop closes 12/10!

Check-off your holiday gift list today and help our Class of 2026! From holiday to hostess to corporate gifts and more, our online store has something for every occasion - even if it's just for you!

With our clubs and sports in full swing, we have made some changes to better suit our students and drivers for our late buses. Please note that late buses have the same expectations for students are their typical buses do and to please make sure your students are aware of this.

• All students entering 6th-grade must have a physical examination
• Submitted by December 15, 2024
• All students entering 7th-grade must have a MCV & TDAP vaccine
• Submitted by September 3, 2024.

Be sure to check our website for the full calendar of athletics & activities events.

NOTE: Only 7th & 8th Grade Students Can Participate in Sports.

UMMS Bears, Empathy, Achieve, Resiliency

Scan QR codes on the Conference Resource below to assist and support our students and families.

BELONG:

• Clubs & Activities: A list of after school options for all students.
• Athletics: PIAA available to 7th & 8th grade students
• UMMS eCommunicator: Weekly emails containing important information

ACHIEVE:

• ELO: After school academic support on Wednesday with late bus transportation home, contact a counselor to sign up
• HAC: Access student's grades through Home Access Center

EMPATHY:

• Food & Holiday Help: We have resources to help families experiencing financial need or food insecurities. Email a counselor or Principal.

RESILIENCY:

• Aldersgate: Ongoing group and individual student support around various pre-teen related topics, speak to your counselor for more information or scheduling.

Students should not be calling or texting parents/guardians to pick them up when not feeling well during the school day. All students are required to see our school nurse, Ms. Nally who will determine if there is a need to send the student home. Then the nurse will contact parents/guardians to pick up the student.

Students are expected to have their ID cards out and ready to scan at the cashier for breakfast, lunch and snack purchases. If students are in need of a replacement student ID card they can get a new one by stopping by to see tech aides in room CAO3. New cards cost $5.00 and can be paid through the obligations online portal.

• BREAKFAST and LUNCH MENUS
• Breakfast is FREE for ALL Students during the 2024-2025 school year.
• Lunches are at cost. Visit our website for meals and snacks price list.
• Free / Reduced Meals information and application is available on our website.

This year, lockers are done by request. If your student feels the need to use a locker, this can be done by contacting their corresponding guidance counselor and setting up a meeting.

Brian Haupt: bhaupt@umtsd.org ( A-K )

Jennifer Haney: jhaney@umtsd.org ( L-Z )

We're excited to announce that we have transitioned to a new platform for processing applications and renewals.

If you have already been approved and are in our system, no action is required. The change only applies to new applicants and those renewing their applications.

For assistance with the online volunteer registration, please refer to the Volunteer Guide for an overview, or contact Human Resources Specialist, Matthew Mastrogiovanni, at mmastrogiovanni@umtsd.org for support.

• Attendance: Please email MSattendance@umtsd.org for student absences, late arrival, or if you need to sign your student out early for the day.
• School Nurse: Visit our website to learn about health and dental requirements & to access the medication permission form.
  

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