Rose Tree Media Reporter

One of the annual responsibilities of a school district and its Board of School Directors is to adopt a general fund budget.

There will be a great deal of information shared and decisions made by the board over the next several months – including a special board meeting on Monday, March 11 focused entirely on the budget. Ultimately, the board will vote on and approve a 2024-25 general fund budget for the district in May. In the meantime, we encourage the Rose Tree Media community to stay informed and engage with us!

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

The Board of School Directors approved the 2024-25 school year calendar and the 2025-26 school year calendar this month. Click here to view the district calendars.

Kindergarten Registration for the 2024-25 school year is now open. Children who were born between September 1, 2018 and August 31, 2019 are eligible to register.

The district does not offer full-day kindergarten. Students attend either the AM session or the PM session. Morning (AM) sessions are often preferred by parents. Student placement in the morning session will be determined by a lottery held at each school. The lotteries will be held during the first full week of April, and placement letters will be mailed by Friday, April 12, 2024. Parents can request to have their child’s name be put on a waiting list for the morning (AM) session. Parents will be notified if an opening occurs.

If you are unsure of which elementary school your child will attend, please visit our Elementary School Attendance Boundaries page.

For more information, please visit our General Registration page.

Glenwood students and families participated in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. Projects included assembling 190 treat bags for support staff, 225 puzzle kits for local assisted living facilities, and 175 coloring bag kits for hospitals. They also wrote 580 notes of encouragement and collected $800 worth of food for the Media Food Bank. It was an incredible display of the school community's impact on the local area.

Miss Pinsley’s 5th grade class finished second in the National Constitution Center’s “Citizen’s Challenge” in January. The experience included a trip to Harrisburg to tour the Constitution Center, present a prepared skit, and complete a U.S. history and civics challenge. The second-place prize included $500 to promote civics learning and engagement in the school.

On January 26, Indian Lane Elementary accepted recognition as Pennsylvania’s first elementary school to receive the National Banner for achieving the Special Olympics Unified Champion School status at a ceremony to remember!

This prestigious recognition commemorates the school’s inclusivity, as it offers sports and leadership activities for students with and without intellectual disabilities, along with its achievement of the Special Olympics’ 10 national standards of excellence.

Author Jimmy Curran and advocates Carol and Benjamin Schrader gave inspiring speeches commemorating the historical event and extending recognition to those who embrace the inclusivity of Indian Lane. CEO of Special Olympics Mary Davis, President and CEO of Special Olympics Pennsylvania Matt Aaron, and Senior Advisor of Special Olympics Pennsylvania Mike Bovino joined Superintendent Dr. Joe Meloche, Indian Lane Principal Michelle Britton, former principal Mr. John Reid, ILES Unified Faculty Sponsors Molly Bradley and Summer O’Donnell, Board Member Karlene Krenicky, Dr. Orrin, and other school district representatives at the ceremony to show support and join the celebration.

To show solidarity and pride, those in attendance wore specialty shirts that read: “This is the shirt I was wearing when ILES made history.”

Indian Lane Elementary staff and families participated in the MLK Day of Service. Projects were preplanned, and everyone made an impact:

• Grade 1: Assembled birthday cake boxes for those in need

• Grade 2: Created thank-you kits for First Responders

• Grade 3: Crafted nearly 300 breakfasts-in-a-bag for those in need

• Grade 4: Prepared over 200 sandwiches with notes of encouragement for those in need

• Grade 5: Assembled comfort care bags for cancer patients

Staff also took part by preparing dinner and serving at a local shelter!

Indian Lane 2nd graders traveled to the Arden Theatre for a production of Roald Dahl’s “The BFG” (Big Friendly Giant) in January. The students enjoyed the classic play full of make-believe as they journeyed through worlds of giants, dreams, unexpected kindness, and bravery. The production was an experience that brought literature to life on stage and left an impression on the audience.

Staff, students, and families joined Brandywine Museum of Art visitors for a closing ceremony of its Imagine Brandywine Exhibit, which features selected work from Mrs. Stoddard and Dr. Meloche’s 5th grade art classes.

The exhibit concluded in February with students singing, “When the Lights All Shine,” led by Mrs. Jeanette Verdeur.

Media Elementary students began the new year by setting goals for themselves that promote learning and building on new skills. First-grade students set out on a goal to continue writing nonfiction stories to extend their fluency and comprehension. At the same time, 3rd graders made a goal to work hard on their informational reading and writing units, which will go through the end of the school year.

MES students participated in service learning projects to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Kindergarten, 1st, 3rd, and 4th grades created get-well valentines and positive message cards for the Veterans Hospital, Riddle Hospital, and Pockets of Hope.

Third graders also collaborated with Be the Joy Foundation to make bookmarks for senior citizens living in Fair Acres. Second-grade students made birthday boxes to donate to the Media Food Bank, while 5th graders ran a toiletry drive to collect items for the Media Fellowship House.

Rose Tree Elementary 1st graders learned about the Civil Rights movement and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Students explored his life and accomplishments in their classes, then planned projects to honor his legacy of caring for and being kind to others.

Fifth-grade students at RTES have been learning about the layers of the atmosphere. To expand their understanding, students identified which layer you can find things—such as airplanes, clouds, or meteors—and learned the distance between each atmospheric layer.

Third graders worked in small groups to solve the "Cross the River" challenge. This classic team-building activity challenged students to travel from one side of the gym to another using select gym equipment. Teams must restart the challenge if anyone touches the floor at any point while attempting to cross.

Holocaust survivor Ruth Kapp Hartz told her story to 6th grade students through a partnership with the Holocaust Awareness Museum and Education Center of Philadelphia.

Mrs. Hartz spoke of being a “hidden child” during World War II and her experience living through the Holocaust. She was a refuge taken in by a French family on their farm, and then by nuns at a Catholic convent. She thanked the individuals who risked their lives for someone they did not know out of love.

Mrs. Hartz concluded by pointing out that this will be the last generation of students to hear of this horrific and historical event directly from a survivor.

Congratulations to all 10 finalists who participated in the Springton Lake Geography Bee Championship on January 18! It was an epic battle, with Sameer Dhillon being named the reigning champion for a second year after a close match with Jack Janczyk.

Eighth graders began their transition to Penncrest High School with a visit from the high school administration and staff. Five presentations were prepared to deliver important information about topics like technology and business education, art and music, academics and counseling, and athletics and world language.

A parent/student night was also held for these students at the high school for another opportunity to gather information and ask questions about what to expect and how to build their course schedules. Students will have another opportunity to ease into the transition with a planned visit in the spring.

The Penncrest Literary Magazine, Gryphon, a student-created publication under Mr. Zervanos’s supervision, has received the highest honor in the nation in the Recognizing Excellence in Art and Literary Magazines (REALM) contest. Gryphon was rated highest out of 375 total nominations considered, which were sourced from 46 states and five countries.

The REALM program publicly recognizes excellent literary magazines produced by students with the support of their teachers. REALM is designed to encourage all schools to develop literary magazines that celebrate the art and craft of writing.

The Penncrest Language Department chose the two recipients for the Phyllis Kavanaugh Scholarship for students planning to study abroad. Shaalin Gamble-Sarfo and Nina Woods exhibited exceptional development and talent in their language studies. Shaalin plans to study abroad in France this summer, while Nina will visit a Spanish-speaking country.

Members of the Penncrest Ski and Snowboard Club traveled to Jay Peak in Vermont in January to spend the weekend enjoying winter sports and the outdoors. Students enjoyed unseasonably warm conditions and fresh snowfall for their trip. They were also able to experience something called “inversion,” where they were above the clouds on the summit.

Jay Peak is unique because it is one of the only ski areas on the East Coast that brings guests above the treeline and into a true alpine environment.

• Information about the Rose Tree Media School District and its schools is available on our website at www.rtmsd.org.
• District Overview: www.rtmsd.org/domain/61
• Board of School Directors: www.rtmsd.org/domain/60
• Employment: rtmsd.tedk12.com/hire/index.aspx
• District and School Calendars: www.rtmsd.org/Page/2
• Archived Newsletters: www.rtmsd.org/Page/153