Rose Tree Media Reporter

The approved General Fund Budget outlines $121,782,732 in expenses, with anticipated revenue of $120,736,507 and a projected use of $1,046,225 from the fund balance. This budget also includes a 3.5% tax increase. As explained by this fact sheet, this increase is below the 5.3% index set by Act 1, the state-mandated limit on increases in revenues from property taxes.

The budget will cover rising costs associated with federal and state mandates, such as special education, retirement contributions, and charter school tuition, and respond to revenue challenges stemming from limited state and federal assistance, which increases the district's reliance on local property taxes. Only 0.39% of the district’s overall revenue is sourced from the federal government, while 82.6% is generated locally, largely from annual real estate taxes.

Residents may also wish to learn more about the expanded Property Tax Rebate Program eligibility. The district website provides background information and explains the application process.

The district will offer a variety of summer programs during July 2024. Our Summer Programs are unique and include grade-specific activities targeting desired physical and academic skills and promoting higher-order thinking. Offerings include Enrichment Camp, Jump Start to Kindergarten, Summer Theater, High School Remediation, and Summer Smarts (for grades 1-5).

To register for Summer Programs, please visit the RTMSD website and click on Summer Programs. You will be redirected to MySchoolBucks to register. Registration closes on June 14!

View our Summer Program Guide to learn more!

The Board of School Directors approved the 2024-25 school year calendar and the 2025-26 school year calendar earlier this year.

The goal of the Delaware County Reading Olympics is to increase the quality and quantity of books students read for enjoyment. Teams of students collaborate to read forty to fifty books.

At this year’s Reading Olympics, the “Sparkling Pickles” earned a Blue Ribbon!

Students from across Delaware County competed in the 11th annual STEM Design Challenge. More than 105 teams from across the region teamed up to create an agricultural robot or other type of “high-tech-farming” equipment that farmers could use. Xander, Bryce, and Nico qualified for the state competition in Harrisburg on May 3.

Glenwood 4th and 5th graders participated in the annual “24” Math Challenge. Winners of each round will advance to the county-wide competition.

Mrs. Coatesworth and the 5th Grade Choir hosted a fabulous concert on Thursday, May 16. The performance included ukuleles, rhythmic drums, and super singing. Mr. Bugosh and his band performed their annual spring concert, including drums, a wind ensemble, and brass horns. Lastly, Mr. Walls and the orchestra played beautiful songs with various string instruments.

On May 16, Indian Lane fifth graders captivated the audience with their production of "Journey Through the Seas." In imaginative costumes, they brought characters to life and showcased their talents in acting, singing, and dancing.

Indian Lane students and their parents shared poems at local businesses in Media on April 19 and 20. Businesses provided treats for the students, and patrons praised the event as a wonderful family experience, bringing many families into local businesses.

Thank you to Mrs. Tracy Hatton for organizing this event!

At the Special Olympics Unified Sports Competition on May 18, Indian Lane's Unified Track Team performed exceptionally well at the Plymouth Whitemarsh High School stadium. Big cheers for every athlete who gave their all!

Each year, the Indian Lane Student Council participates in the Polar Pop fundraiser to raise money for the Special Olympics. The Polar Pop entails popping a water balloon over one's head.

Many Bobcats enthusiastically participated in the Polar Pop this year, with students sending in funny videos from home.

The Media Elementary Garden Club has been gardening for three seasons, so we see the plant cycle full circle!

Wild Birds Unlimited donated 10 native plants and flowers, which the Garden Club recently planted. All of these plants will attract pollinators such as birds, butterflies, and bees to our garden. We can now use a rain barrel to water our plants, which was donated to our club by a Media Elementary parent volunteer and installed by the district maintenance department.

On April 16, Media Elementary students participated in the Mustang Challenge fundraising event. Before the event, students learned how to be a World Changer by finding a need, making a plan, rallying a team, and making a change. Students celebrated raising funds to support an Imagination Station on the playground and adding items for Cozy Corners in every classroom. Students spent the morning walking, running, and dancing on Barrall Field while a DJ led an interactive experience for all students.

On April 8, MES students enjoyed learning about the Solar Eclipse. They watched the NASA live stream of the eclipse and had the opportunity to observe the event outside on the MES lawn.

The annual Art Show featured one work of art from every student in grades 1-5. Artwork from throughout the year was displayed in the hallway, cafeteria, and atrium. Students were invited to complete a scavenger hunt to view as much beautiful artwork as possible.

Thank you to Mrs. Bellamy and the P.T.G. for hosting!

Local Government Week was celebrated in April. Upper Providence Township representatives visited Rose Tree Elementary to discuss the important role of local government with the students. Upper Providence Council members, along with the Upper Providence Police Chief, were able to describe firsthand the importance of local government and how it impacts the lives of residents in the community.

Rose Tree Elementary continued participating in Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Philadelphia Region's Read for the House program in February! Many students engaged in the read-a-thon to raise money for families with seriously ill children. As a school, we raised $6,514!

Our school participated in Rock Your Socks for Down Syndrome Day in March. Throughout the month, student council members sold socks to the students and staff to support this important cause.

Families were invited to the school for a gallery viewing of student artwork during the annual Art Show. Each student had at least one piece of artwork exhibited. The exhibit also included pieces from art clubs, ceramic pieces made during art class, and many two-dimensional works of varying media hanging through the hallways.

Rose Tree Elementary was also invited to display student artwork during the White Horse Village Art Show in Newtown Square in April. Artwork created by 40 students was displayed in the Village's community clubhouse.

In April, Springton Lake Middle School received the Caring School Award from Caring For Friends, a non-profit organization with a network of 10,000 volunteers and 200 food pantries providing food and friendship in five area counties. This award recognizes the school’s annual MLK Day of Service when we celebrated Dr. King's legacy of service to others.

On April 24, our school's Community Service Club co-sponsors, Mrs. Bucci and Mrs. Hartzell, were honored at the Caring for Friends Annual Volunteer Breakfast and Awards Ceremony.

The 2024 spring musical at Springton Lake was Matilda, directed by Robert Gene Pellechio and Shaun Yates. Auditions and rehearsals began in December and culminated in three performances in late February. The students and directors performed the full Broadway version, which featured a live pit of musicians conducted by Springton Lake teacher David Sikorski.

The pit featured students from Penncrest and other current and retired district music teachers. The cast and crew comprised students in grades 6 through 8.

The Delaware County Bar Association celebrated Law Day on May 3 at the Media Courthouse. Each year, part of the celebration includes an essay contest open to Delaware County students in grades 6 through 8. This year's theme was "Voices of Democracy," which encouraged students to reflect on how they can engage in civics even if they are not of voting age.

Seventh-grade Springton Lake student Marcus Chen took first place for his artfully crafted essay "Channelling Young Voices."

The Young Authors' Project, sponsored by the Keystone State Literacy Association, invites students in grades 1-8 to submit narrative, informational, or persuasive texts to the competition each year. Springton Lake students who were honored as top authors in Delaware County this year are:

• Grade 6: Amelia Jeffress Rivera, Mark Khieu, and Maggie Ryan
• Grade 7: Logan Powell
• Grade 8: Kelsey Meissner, Fiona Peterson, Hunter Powell, Mehay Semenyuk

The Penncrest High School Cheerleaders placed 1st in the Garden State Regionals and 6th at the National Competition in Orlando, Florida!

Congratulations to the following Cheerleaders: Keira Chaga, Sophia Chaga, Raell Colucci, Riley Duffy, Victoria Dunoff, Megan Falkinburg, Riley Fredericks, Gabriella Hamilton, Zoe Lambert, Sarah Meek, Delaney Millison, Sabrina Novoa, Abigail Puckett, Heidi Renneisen, Abigail Sheridan, Abigail Wolf and the team manager, Disha Patel. The coaches are Gina Lucente and Kaitlyn Schumacker.

The entire team was honored and presented with certificates at the April Legislative Meeting of the Board of School Directors.

Penncrest’s Envirothon teams took first and second in the Delaware County competition held at Ridley Creek State Park earlier this month. The Penncrest Science Olympiad team competed in the State Championship tournament and placed fourth overall.

The Penncrest Art Department held the 66th annual Celebration of the Arts in the hallways of Penncrest High School. This event culminated the entire year’s worth of work through the various high school art programs and displayed all of the art pieces for the school and community to observe.

As the spring sports seasons wind down at Penncrest, our Boys Baseball, Girls and Boys Lacrosse, and the Girls and Boys Track are competing in the postseason. The Tennis team is competing in states this month. The Penncrest Girls Track team achieved an undefeated season. Amazing!

During April, several Penncrest students performed at the PMEA District 12 Orchestra Festival in Phoenixville. The Wind Ensemble performed in the East Meets West concert at West Chester University. The PHS String Ensemble and PHS Chamber String Ensemble participated in a competition in Washington DC. The PHS String Ensemble was awarded an "Excellent" rating for their performance and the PHS Chamber Ensemble was awarded a "Superior" rating for their performance. The PHS Chamber Ensemble was awarded the best overall orchestra award at the festival.

The Penncrest Choir traveled to Virginia Beach to participate in the Festivals of Music high school band, orchestra, and choral festival. The Treble Choir, Tenor/Bass Choir, and Ambassadors Honors Choir received 1st place, with the Ambassadors receiving the highest score of any performing group at the festival.

The Penncrest Mock Trial team reestablished for the first time in more than 20 years, participated in their first competition trial on February 21 at the Delaware County Courthouse. Acting as the prosecution in the “case” of The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Addison Booker, a dramatic murder conspiracy case, students on the team played the roles of prosecuting attorneys as well as witnesses for the prosecution.

• Information about the Rose Tree Media School District and its schools is available on our website at www.rtmsd.org.
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• District and School Calendars: www.rtmsd.org/Page/2
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