UMMS News & Updates

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

Email Attendance & Dismissal Changes to msattendance@umtsd.org

Nurse Emails to msnurse@umtsd.org

March 14: No School (Staff Development)

March 21: Report Cards Available in HAC

March 26: ProjectLIT Book Club @ 6:30 PM

April 14-16: Early Dismissal @ 11:00 AM: Parent Teacher Spring Conferences

April 17: No School (Students/Teachers)

April 18: No School (District Closed)

April 21: No School (Students/Teachers)

We are past the halfway point in the year and, despite the snow on the ground, spring is just around the corner. We ask families and guardians to please remind students to refrain from the use of earbuds/headphones or cell phones during school hours. There are times where teachers may permit students to use earbuds/headphones for an assignment, however, this does not apply for the rest of their day. Per page 26 on student code of conduct:

“Cell phone usage is strictly prohibited during class times and must not be visible without pre-authorized permission from an administrator or teacher. Visibility is defined as being in the student’s hand, openly out of view, or the wearing of earbuds (or similar listening devices). Students who wish to bring devices to school should store them securely in a bag or locker.”

With that in mind, we need everyone’s help to remind students that bringing any electronic device is at the student’s risk. The District is not responsible for any lost, damaged, or stolen devices.

In addition, students should be reminded that any form of recording on District grounds without prior consent is strictly prohibited. Failure to adhere to these guidelines may initiate disciplinary consequences. Thank you in advance for your continued partnership and communication with your student about our earbud/headphone and cell phone policies.

We are excited to share everything that makes UMMS and our Bear Pride special with you. Our dedicated staff and teachers are equipped to help make the 2025 portion of our school year a success. Do not hesitate to contact your grade level administrator or student services provider as listed on the next page.

See below if you need to complete your $70 payment to complete your student's registration. The final payment is due April 4th. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to Dr. Jordan, djordan@umtsd.org.

Attention Parents/Guardians:

For important information regarding these tests, please read the following:

ENGLISH:

• Parent Letter / FAQ

• Cell Phone Usage

• Calculator Policy
  
  

ESPAÑOL:

• Parent Letter / FAQ - Spanish

• Cell Phone Usage - Spanish

• Calculator Policy - Spanish

Students are eligible to participate in the spring celebration on April 16 during the school day if they adhere to the Code of Conduct and earn at least 65% in all of their classes. The spring celebration will be held in the auditorium filled with student minute-to-win-it activities, a guest speaker from Neurologic brain-based learning and movie celebration. Beginning March 11th through April 11th, students with no discipline referrals and 65% or higher in all of their classes will get a chance to participate. Show your BEAR Pride and earn the opportunity to join the UMMS Spring celebration!

Dear Parents/Guardians,

The UMHS-HSA is once again partnering with the UPS store in Hatboro to bring you high quality lawn signs to celebrate your graduating senior. All orders are done online.

All yard signs are 24x18 in size, double-sided & material is 4mm Coroplast.
Congratulations to the Class of 2025!!! Thank you for supporting our fundraiser!

Sincerely,
UMHS-HSA Executive Board

• Online Registration opened on Monday, February 17, 2025
• Incoming Kindergarten students must be 5-years-old on or before September 1, 2025

We invite members of our Upper Moreland Township School District community to review the proposed plan and provide feedback before the Board votes on the proposed plan at the March legislative meeting on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. Please provide feedback by emailing compfeedback@umtsd.org.

Please provide any feedback before Friday, March 14th.

Support the Upper Moreland Education Foundation while enjoying delicious pizza! Join us for a Dine & Donate event at Tony Roni’s Pizza in Willow Grove on select Fridays from 11 AM - 9 PM.

• March 21
• March 28

Mention Upper Moreland Education Foundation when you order, and 15% of your purchase will support education initiatives in our district (20% on orders over $1,000!). Valid for pick-up, dine-in, and delivery—so spread the word!

📍 Tony Roni’s Pizza

1107 Easton Road, Willow Grove
📞 (215) 657-7664

Thank you for your support!

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

Requested Donation Items:

• Cheese & Peanut Butter Crackers
• Microwavable Macaroni & Cheese
• Microwavable Ramen Noodles
• Individual Chip Bags
• Individual Cereal Containers
• Individual Juice, Water Bottles, Gatorade
• Pop-Tarts / Granola Bars
• Individually Wrapped Snack Items
• Canned Goods (Beans, Tuna, Chicken, Vegetables, Fruit)
• Pasta
• Rice
• Pasta Sauce
• Peanut Butter
• Soups
• Oatmeal
• Cereal
• Toiletries
• Can Openers

Where? UMMS Library

When? Wednesday, March 26 from 6:30 - 8:00ish

What? Read the book. Then come with the whole family to enjoy powerful group discussions, fun activities, delicious food & exciting trivia!

Come to our next #ProjectLIT Book Club meeting of the year! We will read Thirst by Varsha Bajaj. All you have to do is read the book. We will engage in powerful group discussions & fun activities.

Please sign-up below if you plan on attending our March 18th, 2025 #ProjectLIT meeting. In addition, if you are able to bring a food, drink, or paper product to share with the group, please add that to your RSVP. Thank you!

If your middle schooler is interested in being a part of the student committee for this meeting, please email me (slevy@umtsd.org)

UMMS is happy to partner with Jefferson Health and Safe Harbor to provide students with the opportunity to attend a 8-week grief group for students who had someone important in their lives die. There is no cost involved and the group takes place during the school day. Read here for information regarding Safe Harbor. If you are interested in having your student participate, please fill out this attached permission slip. Paper copies can be provided upon request.

Any questions can be directed to Mrs. Haney or Mr. Haupt in the school counseling office.

Mark your calendars for Thursday, March 13th at 7:00 PM and join us at the Simmons Elementary School in Hatboro-Horsham School District for a special College Prep Night event.

This informative evening is jointly sponsored by State Rep. Nancy Guenst, State Rep. Melissa Cerrato, and PA Senator Maria Collett.

The event will feature a Q&A-style presentation with representatives from PHEAA and the Department of Treasury answering questions about:

• PA 529 Plans
• Financial Aid
• Scholarships
• FAFSA Applications & Deadlines
• Finding the Right Fit for Your Child

This is an excellent opportunity for families to gain valuable insights into planning for their child’s higher education. Don’t miss it!

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.
  

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.

If you would no longer like to receive weekly email updates from Upper Moreland School District and wish to opt out from further communications, please email mmarass@umtsd.org.