2024-25 Bobcat Bulletin

Happy October!

It was wonderful to see so many families enjoying the playground last week during the Kindergarten Ice Cream Social and Popsicles on the Playground. I look forward to seeing even more families on Monday evening for our final Popsicles on the Playground event.

Please remember that Picture Day is scheduled for Tuesday, October 8th. Parents should have received an email from Active Image Media regarding your child or children at Indian Lane. Each email contains a unique link for ordering photos for each child. Please read the letter rom Active Image with all of the details: CLICK HERE If you have any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Plante at aplante@rtmsd.org.

We are also excited to announce that our fall testing window has now closed. These assessments provided valuable insights into your child’s instructional levels and academic growth. Starting next week, students in grades 1-3 will begin switching classes for phonics instruction and word study. Your child's teacher will communicate further details in the coming week. Furthermore, if your child will be receiving reading support or qualifies for interventions such as Title 1 Math support, we will reach out to individual parents and guardians soon.

Have a fantastic weekend!

-Michelle Britton

Monday, 10/7

• Popsicles on the Playground: SECOND GRADE, 5:00-5:45
• Popsicles on the Playground: FIFTH GRADE, 5:45-6:30

Tuesday, 10/8

• Picture Day
• Author Visit Book Orders Due (Second & Third Grades)

Thursday, 10/10

• Author Visit Book Orders Due (Fourth & Fifth Grades)

Saturday, 10/12

• Auditions for PHS production of A Christmas Carol

Monday, 10/14

• Principal's Advisory Board Meeting 12:30 (time change)

Tuesday, 10/15

• Superintendent's Advisory Board Meeting

Wednesday, 10/16

• Author Visit (Fourth & Fifth Grades)
• PTG Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Library

Friday, 10/18

• Early Dismissal at 12:20 for grades 1-5; No PM Kindergarten

Parents will receive an email from Active Image Media specific to your child or children at Indian Lane. The individual links shared in the email will contain a link for ordering. You will get an email containing a unique link for each child. Please read the letter rom Active Image with all of the details: CLICK HERE

Indian Lane offers several before and after school clubs for students in second through fifth grades. Check out our offerings for the 2024-25 school year. Club information is available on the website - CLICK HERE! Permission forms and club specific details will be provided by the club sponsors.

Please note: Additional activities are on the horizon, including the possibility of intramurals for 5th grade. More information will follow.

Second and third grade students will have an author visit on Wednesday, October 23rd at 2:00 p.m. The acclaimed author & dynamic presenter Alex London and award-winning illustrator Paul O. Zelinsky will visit Indian Lane to share their new book Still Life and talk about the book process from idea to publication.

If you would like to order a personalized & autographed copy of their newest book, Still Life, please use the link below. Order by October 8th for guaranteed personalization by the author & illustrator.

https://childrensbookworld.net/london-and-zelinsky-at-indian-lane-on-oct-23/

Thanks for your support of this exciting opportunity for our students. Please email Tracy Hatton with any questions at thatton@rtmsd.org.

Fourth & fifth grade students will have an author visit on Wednesday, October 16th. Longtime bestselling author Lisa McMann and her husband, author Matt McMann, both have new books out this fall. They will visit Indian Lane to share their experiences and details about their writing process.

If you would like to order a personalized & autographed copy of some of their books, please use the link below. Order by October 10th for guaranteed personalization by the authors.

https://childrensbookworld.net/mcmanns-at-indian-lane-on-oct-16/

Thanks for your support of this exciting opportunity for our students. Please email Tracy Hatton with any questions at thatton@rtmsd.org.

Indian Lane families are invited to join classmates and friends for a delicious treat on the playground. Each grade level has a dedicated time to come. See the schedule above. These fun events are both hosted by our PTG. We hope you can make it!

With Halloween just around the corner, we are preparing for a festive celebration at Indian Lane Elementary! Below are the important guidelines and information regarding costumes, the Halloween parade, parking, classroom parties, and more to ensure a fun and safe event for all.

Costume Guidelines:

• Nonviolent Costumes: Children’s costumes must be of a nonviolent nature, appropriate for school.
• Item Limitations: Costumes should not include play weapons or look-alike weapons such as grim reaper’s staff, sword, lightsabers, devil’s pitchfork, Nerf guns, or similar items.
• Horror Characters: Costumes resembling horror characters are not permitted.
• Inappropriate Costumes: Please avoid costumes that might be considered inappropriate or disrespectful to others.
• Face Make-Up: Please limit face make-up, as we have a limited amount of time to assist students.
• Inflatable Costumes: We kindly ask for your discretion regarding inflatable costumes. While we generally prefer that students avoid wearing them due to the difficulty in maneuvering through stairs and hallways, if a student chooses to wear one, they will need to put it on and take it off in the gym for the parade only.
• Costume Sharing: Students should not share their costume accessories with classmates (e.g. hats, tiaras).
• Safety Considerations: Caution your child about safety when getting on or off the bus or walking home while carrying their costume.

Halloween is all about fun, so we kindly ask that you use good judgment when selecting your child’s costume. Please send your child to school with their costume in a bag, wearing as much of it as possible. Parents will not be in classrooms to help with dressing, so it is essential for students to come prepared. If any costume items are forgotten, you can drop them off in the vestibule, and we will make sure they get to your child.

Parade Information:

• Location: If you plan to attend the Halloween parade, please head directly to the back near the playground and gather on the grass inside the track.
• No Sign-In Required: There is no need to sign in for the parade. Staff members will be present to guide you.
• Safety: Please do not remove your child from their teacher’s supervision before, during, or after the parade.

Parking:

Details regarding parking will be provided closer to the event. We often use the Middletown Presbyterian Church for parking, but availability may vary on the day. Look out for more information in upcoming communications.

Classroom Parties:

Indian Lane Elementary students enjoy classroom parties to celebrate Halloween, Winter Holidays, Valentine’s Day, and the end of the school year. In accordance with our district's Wellness Policy, all foods offered during classroom parties should promote student health and help reduce childhood obesity. This means that party treats will follow the Nutritional Standards published by the Pennsylvania Department of Education's Division of Food and Nutrition:

• Foods will include minimal amounts of added sugar (a maximum of 2-3 items with sugar as the first ingredient).
• Parties will offer fresh fruits, vegetables, water, 100% fruit juice, or milk.
• Foods will be moderate in sodium, contain minimal to no trans fats, provide more than 2 grams of fiber per serving, and exclude foods with minimal nutritional value.

Please expect communication directly from your child’s teacher or homeroom parent regarding specific party plans. Clearances are mandatory to attend. If your clearances are not up to date, you will not be able to volunteer for this event. There will be other volunteer opportunities in the future.

PTG Homeroom Parents /Guardians & Photographers:

Homeroom Parents and Reps, which include Homeroom Parents/Guardians and Class or Grade Level photographers who have volunteered to take pictures for the yearbook, should have received a letter from the PTG. If you have not received communication, please reach out to your child's homeroom teacher on Monday. The PTG will not be holding a separate meeting for parents this year. Instead, please work directly with your child’s homeroom teacher to coordinate any party plans or other classroom activities. If you have any questions, please reach out to the Vice President of the PTG, Brittany Petka, at b.petka@comcast.net.

PM Kindergarten Dismissal Procedures:

Kindergarten teachers will communicate dismissal procedures directly with families.

We are excited to celebrate Halloween with our wonderful Indian Lane Elementary community! If you have any questions or need further information, please do not hesitate to reach out. Thank you for helping us create a memorable and safe Halloween for all of our students.

Lastly, please remember to complete our fall survey if your child(ren) will not be participating in the Halloween parade/party on October 31st. This will help us ensure we have plans in place for all of our Bobcats- https://forms.gle/TW1V6uR6xTDaXFMp9

In anticipation of the upcoming Principal Advisory Board (PAB) meeting scheduled for next week, I would like to invite our parents and guardians to submit agenda items for discussion during the meeting. Whether you would like to share what you think is working well at Indian Lane Elementary, provide feedback, or simply make a suggestion, we welcome your input. Please fill out the survey- https://forms.gle/57AhgNChxFFqiEJF8

PAB Representatives

*SAB Representative- Heidi Jankauskas

5th Grade Jamie Shuda-Grade Level Rep
Perry Kotsiopoulos-Alternate

4th Grade Kelly Welsh- Grade Level Rep
Theresa Yingling- Alternate

3rd Grade Jonathan Pitts-Grade Level Rep
Beth Rundle-Alternate

2nd Grade Genna Hart-Grade Level Rep
Grant Butler-Alternate

1st Grade Rebecca Swanson-Grade Level Rep
Maura Kelly- Alternate

We are looking for two Kindergarten parents/guardians to represent Kindergarten. If you are interested in joining us, please email Mrs. Britton- mbritton@rtmsd.org. A lottery will be held if there are more than two volunteers.

Every child at Indian Lane is a BOBCAT & we want to celebrate with each of you. Families are invited to sign up to attend ONE Bobcat Pride Breakfast during the 2024-2025 school year. Younger siblings are welcome to attend, but please only sign up for the IL student(s) on the sheet. Each student should take one spot on the sign up sheet. The Breakfasts are held from 8:00 - 8:30 am.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP!

On Friday, October 4th, our PBIS team led a school-wide assembly to review our PBIS plan and introduce some new reinforcers that we will have this school year. Our Bobcats also worked with their buddies in another class to create positive messages to display around the school.

We have noticed an increase in the number of families using our car line this year. To ensure a smooth and safe experience for everyone, we kindly ask you to review a few important guidelines. Please remind your children to exit the vehicle only from the side closest to the building, and for everyone’s safety, we ask that parents and guardians remain in their cars and avoid exiting to walk around the vehicle. Lengthy conversations can slow down the flow, especially during dismissal, so keeping chats brief will help everyone get home more quickly. Additionally, please be mindful of other vehicles and drivers, as traffic can become heavy. We encourage everyone to drive slowly and be considerate of those around you. Thank you for your cooperation and support in making our car line a safe and efficient experience for all!

Are you looking for a special way to celebrate your child’s birthday? If so, please consider joining Indian Lane Library’s Birthday Book Club. For a donation of $10, students will select a book to donate to the library.

This year, the money raised will be used to purchase both physical books for the library, eBooks, audiobooks, and digital resources for all of our students to use. Your donation can help build our library collection to support our students and their love of reading. For more information, click here.

Is anyone in your home scratching their head? Here's a quick reminder about the district's Lice Management Plan.

Updated guidance for parents about head lice was recently published by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Click the link for everything you need to know about finding them and treating them.

Get in the habit of checking your student every couple of weeks and remind them not to share hats or put their heads together with other students. As always feel free to call the nurse's office if you have any questions.

Your voluntary donations are how the PTG raises money to pay for special events and help the school. Your one-time contribution fits your busy life and is our main fundraiser!

What is it? The Bobcat Club Campaign is a PTG fundraiser created to allow Indian Lane families a way to donate money directly to IL PTG instead of traditional buying/selling fundraisers (for example, wrapping paper, silent auction, cookie sales, etc.)

The campaign is our main fundraiser and we do it at the start of the school year. The money we collect sets our budget for the year. The more money we collect, the more we can do!

100% of your donation supports PTG events like the Holiday Extravaganza, Bingo for Books, the Bobcat Winter Festival, Kindergarten Ice Cream Social, Popsicles on the Playground, Run-the-Lane, Teacher Luncheons... and more!

Our goal is to achieve 100% family participation. Simply decide what amount you are comfortable with giving and make a one-time donation.

To continue to support Indian Lane with our current PTG events and to avoid the need for additional fundraisers during the upcoming school year, we need your support to reach our fundraising goal of $13,000. This is our 2024-25 operating budget, not a savings account.

Donations are on the household level and all donations are appreciated and confidential.

Your donation may be tax deductible and many companies have programs that will match the charitable contributions made by their employees. Check with your company today!

All families that donate will get a 2024-25 school year magnet!

1. Click this link or scan this QR code and fill out the Google form with the details of your donation
   
2. Choose your payment method (Venmo, PayPal, Cash, or Check payable to ILES PTG) and make your donation following the instructions provided below.
3. That's it! You're done!
   

IMPORTANT: No matter the method of payment, please fill out the Google form from Step 1 above and include a note/memo it’s for the Campaign and your family/student’s name.

Calling all young actors!

The Fall Play at Penncrest High School is looking for 4th and 5th grade students to be a part of their upcoming production of Charles Dickens’ classic, "A Christmas Carol."

Available roles include Tiny Tim, Child Scrooge, Scrooge’s sister Fan, and several others! Auditions are open to all 4th and 5th grade students in the Rose Tree Media School District.

Auditions will be held: Saturday, October 12th from 1:00 to 2:30pm in the PHS Auditorium.

Auditions will begin with a short info meeting, then kids will audition in groups. We ask that a parent or guardian come and stay for the duration. If you have any questions, you can email the director, Jen Smith, at jsmith3@rtmsd.org.

We hope to see you there!

Without our nation’s veterans, America wouldn't be the great nation it is today. Our youth deserve to learn about our rich history, traditions and the role of our veterans in creating and shaping America.

Each year, the Veterans of Foreign Wars selects elementary, middle, and high school teachers to participate in the Smart/Maher VFW National Citizenship Education Teacher program.

Please review the new rules and eligibility requirements and download the 2024 entry form and brochure to nominate a teacher you know. Teacher nomination entries must be received at a local participating VFW Post by the Oct. 31 deadline.

Looking to share updated information and materials on VFW's Voice of Democracy, Patriot's Pen and Teacher Award programs? Share our National Scholarship Brochure (coming soon) with the students and educators in your community.

For more information, click here.

To help maintain an environment that supports student academic learning and development, please ensure that wireless devices—including, but not limited to, cell phones, smartwatches, earbuds, wireless headphones, and devices that transmit and receive voice or data—are off and away during academic classes, unless there is a specified academic need or purpose identified by the teacher. If you need to get a message to your child, please call the main office.

Thank you in advance for your continued support. We are looking forward to a great school year.

Leading Edge Kids provides before and after school care on-site at each elementary school in the district.

For information about their programs, please go to https://www.leadingedgekids.com.

The Parent Portal is a central location on the district's website where parents can find helpful information. Please refer to the communication sent by the school district on August 10th which is located on the parent portal.

Reminder: Annual District Forms must be completed by August 31.

The Rose Tree Media School District will use electronic forms to collect Contact and Nurse information for the 2024-2025 school year. Instructions to complete the forms, will be sent via email. The forms must be completed by August 31.

Please pay close attention to all phone numbers during the review and submit process. A primary phone number is required for all contacts, both Guardian and Emergency. This will allow the district to call the correct number in the event of an emergency.

Please click on the link below.

Indian Lane Elementary School

Email: mbritton@rtmsd.org
Website: https://www.rtmsd.org/Domain/9
Location: 309 South Old Middletown Road, Media, PA, USA
Phone: 610-627-7100