Dear Pine Road Community,

As this time of year is a great one to reflect on togetherness and appreciation, I am proud to share how we foster a sense of belonging and community within our school setting. At Pine Road, we believe every child deserves to feel safe, valued, and supported, and we strive to create an environment where they can thrive academically and socially.

One of the most important ways we build a sense of belonging is by creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all. We promote a positive school culture that emphasizes the four core values captured in our Pine Road Pillars: Responsibility, Respect, Honesty, and Kindness. These core concepts are integrated into everything we do every day and are important to setting the groundwork for our supportive environment and are regularly reinforced through our Positive Paws and quarterly recognition assemblies.

In addition to these school-wide initiatives, we also focus on building a sense of belonging within each individual classroom. In order to support students in that regard, they are regularly involved in class meetings and engage in lessons utilizing the Second Step program. This tool focuses on developing student proficiency in four key areas: Growth mindset & goal-setting, emotion management, empathy and kindness, and problem-solving.

While these supports are ultimately very successful in maintaining a warm and welcoming school setting, there are times when students need assistance navigating school settings. At Pine Road, we are fortunate to have a wonderful school counseling team. and a student success counselor who can work with groups or individual students to support them in more targeted ways.

Even with all of these supports, there will inevitably be times when conflict arises. Our Pine Road Handbook for Students and Families outlines our expectations for behavior as well as the scope of responses to misbehavior. One of the key tenets of our approach to discipline is to address and repair damage to the school community based on misbehavior. This is accomplished through utilizing Restorative Practices. Restorative Practices aim to build and maintain a positive school environment to increase student responsibility and respect while reducing discipline referrals. The program uses proactive strategies and a common language to build community within both the classroom and the school. Restorative Circles are conducted throughout the school on a regular basis to reinforce all aspects of the program.

We believe that a strong sense of belonging is essential for student success. When students feel like they belong, they are more likely to be engaged in their learning, motivated to succeed, and resilient in the face of challenges. We are committed to creating a school environment where every child feels welcomed, valued, and supported, and we believe that this is the foundation for a thriving school community.

Sincerely,

Scott Cole

Principal

• November 17-21: 12:10 Dismissal/ Parent Conferences (By Appointment)
• November 21: LMTSD School Board Meeting
• November 21: Pine Road Community Blood Drive (2:00-7:00 PM)
• November 22: Schools Closed/ Offices Open
• November 23-24: Schools and Offices Closed
• December 5: Pretzel Day
• December 5: LMTSD School Board Work Session
• December 13: PTA Cookie Day
• December 14: PR Chorus Winter Concert (7:00 LMHS)
• December 14-15: Pillar Assemblies- Respect
• December 18-22: Class Holiday Parties (look for specifics from your classroom teachers)
• December 20: PR 5th Grade Band and 4/5 Orchestra Winter Concert (7:00PM LMHS)
• December 22: Holiday Sing/12:10 Dismissal

Our school is once again hosting a Pajama Day to help the kids at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)! Please follow the link below to make a donation in any amount. After you have donated please feel free to participate in wearing your pajamas on December 1st!

We recognize that many students bring tech devices to school from home for multiple valid purposes. Please remind your students, however, that they are not to use phones or smart devices during the school day. Thank you for your assistance.

This is a reminder that Lower Moreland will utilize the Talking Points platform again this year. This will allow families to communicate with the district using whichever language they are the most comfortable with! You will receive communications via text message, however the experience is even better if you use the app, available for all platforms!

In our district, we are lucky to have students and families who are from diverse cultures. Did you know that in our district, we have over 30 languages spoken?

To better support our new families, we would like to invite you to participate in serving as a mentor. As a mentor, you would be responsible for explaining school routines and special events and answering any questions that arise.

For those families who do not speak English as their native language, working with a mentor family who speaks the same language could be very helpful in learning to navigate our school system.

If you are interested in volunteering your time, please complete THIS form. New families would contact you upon their arrival to the district.

Lunch menus are posted on a new interactive website, Nutrislice. Our innovative and interactive site and mobile app make our school menus more convenient and informative than ever before! Download the Nutrislice App from the App Store or get it on Google Play and search Lower Moreland.

Friendly reminder that the universal free lunch has ended, however free breakfast will be continuing! Students that would like a free breakfast in the morning will walk straight to the cafeteria upon arrival. Students can eat breakfast in the cafeteria and granola bars, muffins, and cereal bars are also available if your student would like to save their breakfast for snack time.

Additionally, for the 2023-2024 school year, all students who are designated to receive “reduced” meals, will also be automatically qualified for free meals. There will be no reduced prices charged for the 2023-2024 school year.

The District is strongly encouraging families to fill out the Free and Reduced Applications if you believe your family will qualify. Information on income qualifications and paper applications can be found at

https://www.lmtsd.org/Page/482

As field trips are scheduled, if you are unable to afford field trips, please reach out to your student's counselor, as assistance may be available.

Pine Road PTA is calling all bakers!

We'd like to make cookies and treats for Pine Road's amazing faculty and staff. If you are able to make two dozen cookies/treats, please sign up here and let us know what kind you will be bringing. Treats can be dropped off at Pine Road, curbside, on 12/13 from 8:45-10am.

Not a baker? Consider a monetary donation and we will order cookies and treats on your behalf. Monetary donations are welcome via Venmo @LowerMoreland-PTA. Please mark your payment "PR Cookies".

Thank you so much for helping us show appreciation to our Pine Road staff!

Click image to sign up!

If you have any questions, please email Angela at amalaveprpta@verizon.net.

Planet Aid accepts donations of men’s, women’s, and children’s clothes, shoes and accessories, as well as blankets, bedspreads, sheets, towels, curtains, and fabric.

https://www.planetaid.org/get-a-receipt

https://www.planetaid.org/about/mission

Website: https://www.lmtsd.org/prs
Location: 3737 Pine Road, Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006
Phone: 215-938-0290
Facebook: https://facebook.com/PineRoadElementarySchool/
Twitter: @LMTSD_PRES

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